Halibut Ceviche by Tim Woods

Chef Tim Wood, the big personality behind Woody’s at the Airport and Woody’s at Del Mesa, has so many great hookups in the local foodscape the original recipe read like this: “Step one: Call the Crab Man Dave, see if he's fishing halibut; Step two: Call [farmer] Dick Swank and Peter the Lemon Guy…” 

It also involved expert skills (“Clean the halibut!”) and quantities better scaled for one of his restaurants.

For practical purposes, that version has been rendered more realistic for mere kitchen mortals, in terms of procurement advice and portions. Wood recommends MBFT favorite Robbie Ocean Fresh Seafood on Wharf Two in Monterey for the fish, Country Flat Farms for the lemons, and Swank for the bell pepper.

Ingredients

  1. 1 pound line caught Monterey halibut, fileted 

  2. 6 Big Sur Meyer lemons 

  3. 1 avocado 

  4. 1/2-1 tsp Big Sur Salt 

  5. 1 fresh red bell pepper

  6. 1/8 fresh jalapeño 

  7. 1/2 bunch fresh cilantro 

  8. 1/2 torpedo onion 

  9. 1/2 small cabbage 

  10. Corn tortillas 

Instructions

  1. Cut halibut into ¼-inch cubes

  2. Squeeze juice from lemons until fish is submerged 

  3. Leave for four hours (at least one) in a glass bowl, stirring occasionally 

  4. Drain/strain fish and add half cup diced peppers, quarter cup cilantro and finish with sea salt and a touch of pepper 

  5. Squeeze half fresh lemon to liven it up

  6. Dice and add avocado 

  7. Corn tortillas can be fried or baked like a tostada 

  8. Chop and add fresh cilantro (arugula can swap in for cilantro adverse)

  9. Serve over chopped cabbage with a lime 


More at about Tim Wood at woodysmontereyairport.com.

Oliviya Wyse