The origin story of ceviche is murky, but chef Rodolfo Cuadros loves one particular tale of food as medicine: South American sailors lost at sea cured raw seafood in a potent elixir of citrus juices to ward off scurvy from vitamin C deficiency. “It’s not documented history, but as a myth it’s pretty cool,” he says. At Wicker Park’s Bloom Plant Based Kitchen, he puts his own spin on the story with a vegan ceviche that swaps fish for seasonal produce like stone fruit, rhubarb, or, here, honeydew melon. Fresh with just a hint of heat, it makes for a lovely prologue to an early-spring meal.
Rodolfo Cuadros’s Honeydew Melon Ceviche
Makes:4 servings
Active time:20 minutes
Total time:45 minutes
| 1 | Small sweet potato, peeled and diced |
| 2 tsp. | Olive oil |
| 1¾ tsp. | Kosher salt, divided, plus more to taste |
| 1 cup | Seasoned rice wine vinegar |
| 3 Tbsp. | Agave syrup |
| 2 cups | Honeydew melon chunks |
| 2¼ cups | Frozen grated coconut (available at Pete’s Fresh Market) |
| 1 cup | Loosely packed cilantro leaves, plus more for garnish |
| 1 | Serrano pepper, seeded and roughly chopped |
| ¾ cup | Fresh lime juice, divided |
| ½ cup | Fresh celery juice (available at Pete’s Fresh Market) |
| Black pepper, to taste | |
| ¼ cup | Roasted corn kernels (like Corn Nuts) |
| 1 | Small red onion, very thinly sliced |
1. Toss sweet potatoes in olive oil and ¼ teaspoon salt. Roast at 350 degrees until tender, 25 to 30 minutes. Set aside. Meanwhile, whisk together vinegar and agave in a medium bowl. Add melon, stirring to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
2. While the melon marinates, prepare the leche de tigre: Combine coconut, cilantro, serrano pepper, ½ cup lime juice, celery juice, and remaining salt in a blender and process until very smooth, about 4 minutes.
3. Just before serving, strain melon, discarding the marinade. Return melon to the bowl and toss with remaining lime juice and a pinch of black pepper. Taste and add salt if desired.
4. Divide the leche de tigre among four plates, spreading it into a circle using the back of a spoon. Top each plate with a quarter of the melon. Garnish with sweet potatoes, roasted corn kernels, red onion, and a few cilantro leaves.