Chef de Cuisine Steve Wan presents an a la carte Ceviche Tasting Menu at The Ritz-Carlton Laguna Niguel from September 1 through September 30, 2014. Drawing inspiration from the rich and flavorful regions of Mexico, Peru and Asia, his tasting menu features tuna, rock shrimp, sea bass and scallops, and highlights such ingredients as coconut, sweet chili, candied yam and crispy jicama. The Ceviche Tasting Menu is offered in RAYA, Bar Raya and 180blu, the resort’s outdoor oceanfront lounge.
The a la carte tasting menu includes:
- Asian-style Ahi Tuna Ceviche
- Raya’s Pan-Latin Rock Shrimp Ceviche
- Mixto Ceviche, a Peruvian classic
- Central American-style Sea Bass Ceviche
- Mexican-style Baja Scallop Ceviche
In Peru, ceviche has been declared to be part of Peru’s national heritage and has even had a holiday declared in its honor. In Mexico and some parts Central America, ceviche is served either in cocktail cups with tostadas, salted crackers, or as a tostada topping and taco filling. Shrimp, octopus, squid, tuna, and mackerel are popular bases for Mexican ceviche. Typically, the marinade ingredients include salt, lime, onion, chili peppers, and avocado. Ceviche usually features Latin American flavors, but Chef Wan has created an Asian-style ceviche by adding a few Asian ingredients such as yuzu, white soy and ponzu.
The resort’s resident mixologist, Erin Snider, created several signature cocktails to complement Chef Wan’s ceviche selections. The hand-crafted cocktails include:
- Saki Cocktail a perfect combination of refreshing flavors of mint and ginger, with lingering flavors of the Sake and pear
- Caipirinha a back-to-basics cocktail made with Cachaca (a distilled spirit made from sugarcane juice) the most popular distilled alcoholic beverage in Brazil
- Pisco Mule light and refreshing with a hint of spice
- Yuzu Sour featuring hints of orange, fresh cilantro and a hint of Yuzu juice
- Piloncillo Margarita the Reposado tequila provides a smoky flavor that is balanced by the piloncillo (unrefined Mexican sugar)
Posted by Rachel Allan
08/20/14
