Monday Musings#1

Mixed weather, ceviche, and the giveaway winner

While parts of the globe swelter under extreme heat, we on the west coast of Canada are dealing with mixed weather. A few days of sunshine and warmth followed by overcast and often windy days with some rain. My garden doesn’t know what to think. The hydrangeas love it, the roses are ambivalent, and the tomatoes are unresponsive. We’ve picked over four kilograms of blueberries and I think the critters (squirrels, birds, rats) have had their share, too.

First off - the watercolour giveaway for those who ordered books and let me know. I put names into the proverbial hat and the winner is Ann J! She lives on an island on the other side of the country and I’ll send the little painting her way soon.

Thanks to all who’ve purchased Life is Short but Wide. I’ve been encouraged by the positive comments of those who’ve read the book. One way to really help an author is to post a review on Amazon or Goodreads. A few words saying what you liked about the book is very helpful to me.

On a warm and sunny day, Tim and I enjoyed Ecuadorian Shrimp Ceviche for a light dinner. I had never heard of ceviche until we went to Ecuador many years ago. Since then it’s become quite popular around the world. Making ceviche has become a family tradition for Christmas or New Year’s. There are complicated recipes and very simple ones. What I like about Ecuador’s version of this dish is that the shrimp are cooked on the stove, not just marinated in citrus to “cook” them. Every household has their own recipe for ceviche, some complicated and others simple. This one was given to me by an Ecuadorian friend, and it’s very easy to prepare.

Shrimp Ceviche

All of the components can be made ahead and chilled before combining. Serve ceviche cold.

Thinly slice one small onion. Place in a bowl and cover with boiling water. Add 1 teaspoon of lemon juice. Let stand 30-60 minutes. Drain and set aside.

Fill a pot with about 2 quarts of water, 1 teaspoon salt, and 2 teaspoons lemon juice. Bring to a boil and add 1 pound shrimp, frozen and thawed, or fresh ( I use a bag of frozen peeled Argentine shrimp). Cook 3-5 minutes, or until the shrimp is opaque. Don’t overcook. Drain. Cut into 1/2-inch-sized pieces if the shrimp are large. Cool thoroughly.

Squeeze fresh oranges to make 1 cup of juice. Add 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice and 2-4 Tablespoons ketchup.

Shortly before serving combine the onions, juice mixture, and shrimp. Taste and adjust the amount of lemon juice or ketchup. The mixture should be strongly citrus, but mellowed with sweetness. It’s a unique flavour. Sprinkle with parsley. If you have them, a few slivered tomato slices can be added, as well.

Now for the part that many people think is really strange. Pop some popcorn and serve it alongside, unbuttered and lightly salted. The popcorn soaks up the juices and provides a delicious counterpart to the shrimp and citrus. I like to add small amounts of popcorn as I eat so that it doesn’t go soggy immediately.

We made taster-sized dishes of this recipe for my book launch and although there were some raised eyebrows, everyone agreed that the combination worked!

Let me know if you try it, or if you have another type of ceviche you enjoy.

This past week we’ve celebrated a family birthday (son-in-law), spent two nights on the water and bounced home over some rough water, and celebrated Canada Day with a long walk across Mayne Island.