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Although I love ceviche I'm worried about possible health issues caused by eating raw fish.

I know that freezing it at -20° C for at least 24 hours would be effective against Anisakiasis and reduce (but not eliminate) Salmonella. I'm also aware that the whole thing of "ceviche's cooked by the juice" is just a myth. Raw fish remains a risk.

Since ceviche's fish get de-naturated anyway by the lime (or other citrus), would the fish change considerably if I cook it at 60° C for some time?

What's the minimum amount of cooking time that would make the dish safe? Could this produce acceptable results? What fish would be the most appropriate here (that is, for being safe and tasty)?

Quora Feans
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    Would it still be ceviche? There are plenty of cooked fish salads recipes you could make if you want to avoid raw fish. – moscafj Feb 04 '19 at 00:50
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    @moscafj: it would be cevich-ish, but let's not get philosophical here. I care about food safety, and texture/taste, besides that, it's also relatively easy to cook. – Quora Feans Feb 04 '19 at 00:55
  • @FuzzyChef deleted your post, since it was an attempt to answer the question. – rumtscho Feb 04 '19 at 08:56
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    Rumtscho: I didn't want to put it in as an answer, since I haven't ever, personally, tried it. – FuzzyChef Feb 04 '19 at 18:59
  • Do you have a reference about this myth you are talking about ? – Max Feb 04 '19 at 19:30
  • @Max: http://cphaz.ca/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/Fact-Sheet-Ceviche-April-25-Update.pdf – Quora Feans Feb 04 '19 at 23:39

2 Answers2

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The problem I see with cooking fish to dress as ceviche is achieving the texture. Citrus juice firms the raw fish while baking, for example, will produce either tender, fall apart fish or dry overcooked fish. Possibly bay scallops may survive in this substitution but I don't think so. The reason I make or purchase ceviche is for the fresh, clean taste. Not fishy. Another suggestion would be using surimi which is already prepared to have a nice texture. In the US it is called imitation crab or lobster usually made from pollack. Just one final comment. Consider the long history of this dish, and it goes back to before refrigeration. It's unlikely there is any grave danger from using this process. Buy a fresh, cold water fish, dice it, add the ingredients that you like, wait the required time and enjoy. Relax! Otherwise see www.trans-ocean.com for one surimi source.

BARTOL
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Millions of people eat raw fish, safely, on a daily basis. However, if that is something you want to avoid, choose a fish that flakes easily when cooked. Freshness, and well-handled product matters for safety with any food, fish is no exception. So, use the freshest product possible. This includes frozen fish. Poach gently, just until you are able to flake it apart with a fork. Cooking time will vary depending on the thickness of the fish. Chill. Flake and dress in a manner that resembles the type of ceviche you are trying to emulate. There is no reason that it can't be delicious (but it's not ceviche :-) ).

moscafj
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