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Pressed Ceviche Recipe (Aguachile Style with Crispy Potato Hay)

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Ingredients

Pressed Fish

  • 115 g bluefin tuna 4 oz
  • 115 g amberjack 4 oz
  • Or substitute with sushi-grade red snapper halibut, rockfish, hamachi, or another sushi-grade fish of choice.

Cucumber Aguachile

  • 2 Persian cucumbers about 200 g
  • 1 jalapeño about 15 g
  • 30 g lime juice juice of 1 lime, about 2 tbsp
  • Kosher salt to taste

Cilantro Oil

  • 30 g cilantro leaves and stems about 1 cup loosely packed
  • 30 g spinach about 1 cup loosely packed
  • 480 g neutral oil about 2 cups
  • Kosher salt to taste

Crispy Potato Hay

  • 1 Idaho russet potato about 300 g
  • 1 quart water
  • 15 g rice wine vinegar 1 tbsp
  • Kosher salt to taste
  • Neutral oil for frying

Garnishes

  • 1 jalapeño thinly sliced (15 g)
  • 30 g pickled red onion about 2 tbsp
  • Cilantro leaves and stems
  • Flake salt to taste

Instructions

  • Combine the water and rice wine vinegar in a large bowl. Using a mandolin fitted with a fine julienne attachment, shave the russet potato directly into the water bath. Allow the potato to soak for a few minutes to remove excess starch.
  • Lift the potatoes directly from the water, leaving the starch behind in the bowl. Transfer to paper towels and dry thoroughly.
  • Heat neutral oil to 350°F. Fry the potato hay in small batches until deeply golden brown and crisp. Transfer to paper towels, season immediately with kosher salt, and spread onto a sheet tray to cool. For extra crunch, place the potato hay in a 170°F oven for 10 to 15 minutes to dry further.
  • Place a fine mesh strainer over a bowl. Grate the Persian cucumbers over the strainer, followed by the jalapeño. Allow the liquid to drain naturally until you have approximately 360 g of cucumber-jalapeño liquid.
  • Season the aguachile with lime juice and kosher salt. Taste and adjust as needed. The finished aguachile should taste bright, fresh, spicy, and lightly seasoned.
  • Add the cilantro, spinach, neutral oil, and a pinch of salt to a blender. Blend on high speed for approximately 5 minutes until the mixture becomes warm and vividly green.
  • Transfer the blended mixture to a piping bag or fine strainer setup and allow the oil to separate naturally from the solids. Strain and reserve the bright green cilantro oil.
  • Place sheets of parchment paper inside a tortilla press. Arrange slices of sushi-grade fish in an overlapping pattern. Press gently to create a thin, even layer of fish without tearing it.
  • Carefully transfer the pressed fish to chilled serving plates or bowls.
  • Spoon the cucumber aguachile around and over the fish. Drizzle with cilantro oil.
  • Scatter the pressed ceviche with sliced jalapeños, pickled red onions, and fresh cilantro.
  • Finish with a generous mound of crispy potato hay and season with flake salt.
  • Serve immediately while the fish is cold and the potato hay remains crisp.

Notes

Always use sushi-grade fish from a trusted seafood source since this pressed ceviche is served raw. Bluefin tuna and amberjack are excellent choices, but hamachi, halibut, rockfish, and red snapper work beautifully as well.
Chill your serving plates before assembling the dish. Cold plates help maintain the delicate texture of the fish and keep the ceviche refreshing from the first bite to the last.
Dry the julienned potatoes thoroughly before frying. Excess moisture can cause oil splatter and prevent the potato hay from becoming light and crispy.
When dressing the fish, resist the urge to overdo the aguachile. The cucumber-lime broth should enhance the seafood rather than overpower it. Think of this dish as a balance between ceviche and aguachile, where the fish remains the star.
The crispy potato hay can be made several hours ahead and stored uncovered at room temperature or kept warm in a low oven to maintain its crunch. The cilantro oil can also be prepared in advance and refrigerated for several days, making this an ideal recipe for entertaining.