Tuna and Beet Ceviche

I'm always looking for a way to serve lighter foods during the cold fall and winter months. It can be a challenge for me, especially when I crave a warm, home cooked meal.  Ceviches feel very summery to me, but they don't have to be.  In fact, ceviches are a great way to experiment with flavor and texture combinations within any of the four seasons.

An example of this would be a recent tuna and beet ceviche.  I thought the earthy sweetness of a beet would be a nice pairing with tuna.  I peeled and roasted whole beets wrapped in foil for a while (approx 45 minutes) and let them cool.  I simply cubed them and the sushi grade tuna into small bite sized pieces, then combined them in a bowl with some chopped chive, lemon and lime zest, a splash of olive oil, and finally a squeeze of lemon and lime juices and salt just before serving.  There are so many ways you could go with this combination - you could add a variety of herbs (mint) or even a spicy note (jalapeno).  As you can see, I served this ceviche as a small amuse, but this can be presented as a great looking appetizer as well.  A small stack of tuna and beet rings layered upon each other would surely make for a good looking and tasty dish. 

Comments

[sam]

that's an inspiring idea, Joe, thanks.
Now, if only I get my BF to eat one of those two star ingredients, let alone the pair.

[mike]

dude, awesome.

[Tam & Laura]

What a great idea! Beetroot is tres chic. We also loathe Sandra Lee.