The Formula for a Perfect Ceviche Verde

Our best guess as to why has to do with raw fish not being an element many cooks in the U.S. are used to working with at home. It includes a base of tomatillos and lime, and comes from a Mexican tradition called campechana —which Guzmán describes as the blending of two fish (in this case, calamari), one less costly than the other—to help stretch the dish to feed more people for less. But this squid and white fish rendition stands out to us for its tart, refreshing flavors and eye-catching appeal: The tender purple tentacles of the quick-cooked calamari are stunning alongside the bright and tangy green broth.

In a dish where you are meant to taste the true flavors of the barely cooked seafood, freshness is everything. While you can usually find it pre-cleaned, with bodies and tentacles separated, here’s how to clean whole calamari yourself if needed: Slice the squid in half lengthwise and scrape away and discard anything remaining inside.

You can in addition salt them to taste, preserving the balance of overall saltiness across the chip and the fish. As a result, you may need to adjust the quantity of lime juice, tomatillo liquid, salt, or chiles to get the taste and consistency you want.

Photography by Jenny Huang Serve (Almost) Immediately Ceviche is technically marinated—not cooked—seafood, but the highly acidic lime juice helps to “cook” the raw fish slightly as it sits. In a 10-inch stainless-steel skillet, add enough oil to reach about 1 inch up the sides of the pan. Working in batches of around 6 or 8, add some chips without overcrowding the pan. Fry, rotating and turning occasionally with tongs, until deep golden and completely hard and crunchy, 5 to 8 minutes (do not overcook since this can make the chips too greasy).

Transfer to the prepared baking sheet to drain, and immediately sprinkle the chips lightly with salt. Set aside to cool completely while you continue frying the rest of the chips. Make the ceviche: Cut the fish into ½-inch pieces (you should have 1¾ cups).

In a small pot, add enough water to reach three-quarters of the way up the sides of the pot and bring to a boil. Once the water is boiling, add the squid rings and cook until firmed up slightly, 1½ to 2 minutes.

Add the tentacles to the boiling water and repeat; remove to the ice water. Remove all of the squid from the water when completely chilled, pat dry, and refrigerate. When ready to serve, in a shallow, medium serving bowl, add the fish, squid, and lime juice; stir well.

Stir in the solids from the tomatillo mixture plus 2–3 tablespoons of the reserved liquid. Taste and adjust the seasoning or consistency with more salt, lime juice, or tomatillo liquid as needed.