However I choose to spell this dish, the mere thought of it makes my mouth water! It's the first go-to dish I think of when the weather becomes too hot for cooking and I'd rather save my energy for eating and enjoying summer. Just because there isn't any cooking involved (hmm...ok, only very little cooking involved if you like roasted vegetables to go with your ceviche) it doesn't mean you won't be thoroughly satisfied with it. The citrus juices provide the tang, the seafood provides the meatiness while the scallops feel almost creamy and the roasted vegies soak up all the juices beautifully. We gorge on ceviche in this household. You can make ceviche any which way your heart desires. You can use a variety of fish and seafood, always making sure it's all sashimi grade. In terms of vegetables, I choose to roast mine because I love the more intense, caramelised flavours which marry fantastically with the juices and the herbs. If roasting is too difficult or if your kitchen is too hot for this step you can then easily boil or steam them. This ceviche is my favourite. Hope you like it as much as I do.

Ceviche (or Cebiche) with Salmon, Prawns and Scallops

Ingredients:

Salmon fillet: 400 grams, boned, skinned and cut into slices of about 3cm x 5cm and 5mm thick. You can bone the fillet with tweezers (the ones used for humans do me nicely)

Sweet potatoes: 2 medium sized, sliced into pieces about 3 cms thick

Fresh corn: 2 ears, cleaned and cut into 2 cm slices

Prawns: 250 grams, peeled, deveined and sliced lenghtways in two.

Scallops: 250 grams, flesh only, roe is delicious but optional. Large scallops can be sliced in two.

Orange juice and zest from 1 orange

Lime juice from 2 limes and zest from 1

Lemon juice from 4 lemons and zest from 1

Fresh hot chillies: chopped finely, to taste

Spanish onions: 1 small, sliced very thinly

Celery: 1 stick, sliced very thinly

Garlic: 4 cloves, chopped very finely

Ginger: 1 knob, grated

Salt: approximately 4 teaspoons (yes, 4 teaspoons). This is a matter of taste but I find it very difficult to season ceviche properly with very little salt

Sugar: enough to balance flavours, I used about 3 teaspoons. It's not a sweet dish, not in the slightest. Sugar here is only used to temper the saltiness

Black pepper: to taste

Fresh coriander: 1 bunch, chopped

Extra Virgin Olive Oil: A couple of splashes or about 3 tablespoons

Preparation:

Start about 3 hours prior to serving.

Preheat oven to 200 C while you prepare the sweet potatoes and the corn.

Place prepared vegies on a tray lined with baking paper and bake. The sweet potatoes will caramelise and start oozing syrup and this syrup will burn on your trays. Remove corn after about 15-20 minutes and leave the sweet potatoes to bake for at least another 45 minutes. It all depends on your oven and how caramelised you like your potatoes. I like them darkened and very sweet so it takes my oven about one and a half hours to bake the sweet potatoes.

Remove from oven and cool.

In the meantime, place the clean and sliced seafood on a non-reactive deep dish or platter large enough to accommodate the seafood, the citrus juices, the roasted vegetables and herbs.

Pour citrus juices, sprinkle the various zests and the onions, celery, garlic and ginger. Mix it with a pair of wooden chopsticks or a couple of wooden spoons.

Season with chillies, salt, sugar and pepper ensuring all spices all thoroughly incorporated.

Leave it to marinate for at least 1/2 hour. It all depends on how raw you like your seafood. I marinate it for up to 2 hours sometimes depending on my schedule. You can do this in the fridge, if you prefer.

Once the citrus juices have "cooked" the seafood it's time to place the cooled, roasted vegetables on top of the ceviche to allow them to soak some of the goodness. Pour olive oil on top.

Taste, taste, taste. This is the only way you'll know how far to season the ceviche!

Serve in bowls and try to eat without gorging.