The only way I could get Tom to agree to a trip to Hawaii last summer was to promise him we’d all go charter fishing on Maui. Accompanied by old, dear friends BJ and Micki, we set out from Lahaina Harbor aboard the Luckey Strike for a most memorable trip. As the sun rose, we saw Molokai and Lanai rising through the mist. And then the mate shouted, “fish on!” It was the beginning of an unforgettable day, as the four of us caught the Hawaiian versions of wahoo and tuna. During the return trip to the dock, the mate handed around chunks of the just-cleaned catch with packets of pink Hawaiian sea salt for our first samples of seaside sushi. On the way back to our rented condo, we picked up local limes, our own Hawaiian salt, cilantro, red bell peppers, and a jalapeño pepper, and fixed what inspired this ceviche. One caution: With ceviche, the acid in the lime juice “cooks” the fish, which must be absolutely fresh. Don’t attempt this recipe unless you’ve caught the fish yourself, you see it coming off the fishing boats at the dock, or you have absolute trust in your seafood market.
2 large limes
1 lb. very fresh semi-firm skinless white fish fillets (such as grouper, sea bass, trout, or flounder), cut into small pieces
1 tomato, chopped
1 small red bell pepper, chopped
1 jalapeño chile, seeded and minced
½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 tsp. sea salt
Tortilla chips for serving
Squeeze the juice from the limes, and pour into a medium bowl. Add the fish, tomato, bell pepper, jalapeño, cilantro, and salt. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Serve cold with tortilla chips.