Recipe
Ceviche de cobo with passion fruit, leche de tigre and tostones
A tropical ceviche de cobo with criollo leche de tigre, fresh passion fruit, ají cachucha and crispy tostones. A fusion of Cuban and Caribbean flavors.
- Preparation30 min
- Cooking35 min
- Total time1 h 40 min
- Servings4 servings
- DifficultyMedium
The cobo, a sea snail appreciated in the cuisine of eastern Cuba, is the star of this fresh, citrusy and tropical recipe. Here we accompany it with Peruvian-inspired leche de tigre, the perfume of ají cachucha, sour orange and passion fruit pulp with its seeds. Freshly fried tostones provide the crunchy contrast that gives it a very Cuban touch.
This version is prepared with the cobo cooked and cooled before seasoning: the lemon and passion fruit add flavor, but their acidity does not replace safe cooking of the seafood. The result preserves the presentation and refreshing character of a ceviche.
Ingredients
Check off the ingredients you have.
For the cobo
For the criollo leche de tigre
For the passion fruit ceviche
For the tostones
Method
Step-by-step preparation
- Prepare the cobo. Remove the hard shell, dark parts and entrails if the cobo does not come clean from the fishmonger. Use only the edible meat. As it is a firm meat, you can soften it slightly with a kitchen mallet.
- Cook and cool. Place the cobo in a pot with water, the ¼ white onion and one clove of garlic. Cook at a gentle boil for about 25–35 minutes or until the meat is completely cooked and tender. Remove the cobo, reserve part of the broth and transfer both to shallow containers to cool quickly in the refrigerator, approximately 20–30 minutes, until cold. Cut the cobo into small cubes about 5–8 mm.
Image generated with AI.CiberCuba - Make the leche de tigre. Blend the 80 ml lemon juice, the 20 ml sour orange juice, the 50 ml cold cooking broth, the ½ ají cachucha, the ½ clove of garlic, the celery, the cilantro sprigs and one tablespoon of the already cooked cobo. Strain to obtain a light and slightly cloudy sauce. Adjust salt and keep it cold.
- Add the passion fruit. Open two passion fruits and pass the pulp through a strainer, without crushing the seeds. Add about 40–50 ml of the obtained juice to the leche de tigre. Reserve the pulp of the third passion fruit, with some of its seeds, to decorate at the end.
Image generated with AI.CiberCuba - Assemble the ceviche. In a cold container mix the cobo cubes with the red onion in julienne, the ½ diced ají cachucha, the cilantro, the black pepper and, if you like, a little hot chili. Pour in the leche de tigre with passion fruit, mix gently and let rest for 5 to 8 minutes in the refrigerator. Taste and adjust the salt.
Image generated with AI.CiberCuba - Fry the tostones. Peel the green plantains and cut them into rounds 2–3 cm thick. Fry at medium temperature (about 160 °C) until they soften. Remove, flatten and fry again at about 180 °C until golden and crispy. Drain and season with salt.
Image generated with AI.CiberCuba - Serve. Place the ceviche in a cold bowl and add a little more leche de tigre. Distribute on top the fresh pulp of the third passion fruit with some of its seeds, some cilantro leaves and strips of red onion. Serve with the hot tostones on the side, without submerging them in the liquid so they remain crispy.
Image generated with AI.CiberCuba
