Do you do this?  Do you recreate the bestest foodie moments of your life?  Or at least try to???

We are obsessed with eating out, trying new recipes, trying to recreate favorite dishes and especially the best of times………

This is our version of  a dish we had way back in March at Ceviche Tapas Bar in Tampa. We knew we were up for a great time when we considered who all would be sharing our table!

Peter and I, along with my sister, Kim, met up with internationally renowned, fitness guru, Teresa Tapp and her side kick, IT manager, Lisa Moretti for an early dinner.  Teresa and I went back and forth, back and forth, trying to find a day and a time that worked for everyone.  We eventually settled on an early dinner time slot.  Then when Teresa suggested Ceviche as one of the options, because of where we were all coming from, it seemed like a logical choice and I jumped on it.  Enough with the options, not to mention names, but I’ve heard a well respected foodie Tapper brag on this place, I needed to see what this was all about.  Seriously.

The wine list was amazing.

The menu was small plates and a tad bit overwhelming, to say the least.

JAMON SERRANO ~ The prized air-dried ham from the mountains of Spain, served with figs, grapes and pear slices.

It is the authentic of dishes of Northern Spain and Catalan. It very much reminded us of one of our favorite Grand Rapids restaurants, San Chez Tapas Bistro, lots of the same dishes and flavors.

ATUN ESTILO TARTARO Sushi-grade tuna hand chopped with capers, onions, fresh parsley and sesame oil. Served with the cutest little blue corn cones to scoop it up with!

So when Teresa walks in and orders Ceviche de Salmon and flat out tells us she will *not* be sharing, order your own if you want a taste, the foodie in us knew we were on to something.  Something delicious.  And it did not fail us.  The freshest of salmon marinated in lemon, lime, cilantro, sweet onion and topped with caviar.  Delicious!

So here we are, 4 months later, ready to recreate this recipe, in northern Michigan, salmon country, no doubt, and can’t get our hands on ceviche quality salmon, anywhere…. So what do we do?  We turn to Burritt’s in Traverse City.  They suggest tuna and we jump on it because we know it’s fresh and have been enjoying Tuna Poke salad at a number of restaurants including Firefly in Traverse City and Mikado’s in Grand Rapids.  And besides tuna poke, salmon ceviche, same diff, right???  Okay, not really, but similar.  So this is neither and both.   Minus the caviar.  Never been a huge fan, myself.  It’s a texture thing that goes back to a Japan trip…. ‘Nother story, different day.

Any~way……..

This is what we came up with.

Ceviche de Tuna

1 1/4 pounds very fresh tuna steak

3/8 cup olive oil

2 limes, zested

1/3 cup fresh squeezed lime juice

1 tsp wasabi powder

2 1/2 tsp soy sauce

2 tsp hot red pepper sauce

2 1/2 tsp kosher salt

1/2 TBS freshly ground black pepper

4 minced scallions, white and green parts both

1  fresh jalapeno pepper, minced, seeds removed

1 ripe avocado

1 TBS toasted sesame seeds, black and white

Cut the tuna into 1/4-inch dice and place it in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, combine the olive oil, lime zest, lime juice, wasabi, soy sauce, hot red pepper sauce, salt, and pepper. Pour over the tuna, add the scallions and jalapeno, and mix well. Cut the peeled seeded avocado into 1/4-inch dice. Carefully mix the avocado into the tuna mixture. Add the toasted sesame seeds, and season to taste. Allow the mixture to meld, in the refrigerator, for at least 1 hour.

Serve over a bed of your freshest greens and top with a garlic aioli sauce.

Garlic Aioli Sauce

3 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 cup mayonnaise

2 teaspoons fresh lime juice

1/2 teaspoon minced garlic

and pipe on the top of each serving

We served it up with fresh fried wonton chips but I suppose pita chips or water crackers would work in a pinch…

Other than maybe zipping it up a bit more, next time, you know we like it spicy around here, the only other thing we would add would be more friends.  Just bring on the friends. We need more of those in our lives.

Everyday.

Good food with great friends…

Can never be recreated often enough…..

Go for it.

You know you want to.

You won’t be disappointed.

Cheers!