Peruvian Ceviche With Pickled Red Onions - cooking recipe

Ingredients

For the pickled red onions
1/2 lb red onion, thinly sliced
1/2 cup white vinegar
1/2 teaspoon black pepper, cracked
1/2 teaspoon cumin seed, roughly chopped
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
2 garlic cloves, sliced
1 tablespoon sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 small beet, trimmed peeled and cut into 8 wedges
For the ceviche
1 lb halibut, skinless boneless and cut into 1/4 inch dice (or other firm white ocean fish)
1 cup fresh lime juice
1/2 red onion, finely diced
1 aji amarillo chile, seeds removed and minced
1/2 - 1 jalapeno pepper, seeds removed and finely diced
1/2 inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 bunch cilantro, finely chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons aji amarillo chili paste
salt, to taste
plantain chips or tortilla chips, for garnish
1/3 cup pickled red onions, more as desired, for garnish
avocado, sliced for garnish

Preparation

The day before making the ceviche, place sliced onions in a medium saucepan and cover with water; bring to a boil, remove from heat, then strain onions and set aside.
In the saucepan, combine vinegar, black pepper, cumin seeds, oregano, garlic, sugar, salt and beet; bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 7 minutes.
Add the onions and simmer an additional 7 minutes.
Place mixture in a covered container and refrigerate at least one day.
This makes more than is needed for the ceviche, but the pickled onions can kept up to a month, in the refrigerator, and used in other dishes, like salad, and as a garnish.
To make the ceviche, place fish in a large glass or other nonreactive bowl; cover with lime juice and allow to marinate for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Drain fish, but reserve 1/4 cup of the lime juice.
To the fish, add the onion, chile peppers, ginger, oil, cilantro and chile paste; stir in the reserved lime juice.
Chill thoroughly (I chill overnight).
Drain ceviche and season to taste with salt.
Serve in a chilled martini glass, if desired, and garnish with plantain chips or tortilla chips, pickled red onions, and slices of avocado.