Appetizer: Poisson Cru

By SharonE

I first had this in French Polynesia on an island tour. For lunch, we anchored at a beach and the captain showed us how to make poisson cru. He actually used the ocean water and a coconut from a nearby tree. While maybe put off a little with the ocean water, we eventually ate it and couldn't put it down!

Ingredients

• 1 lb. fresh Ahi tuna or albacore
• 1/2 cup minced onions
• 1/2 cup diced tomato
• 1/2 cup diced cucumber
• 1/2 cup shredded carrots (optional)
• 1/2 cup minced bell pepper (optional)
• 1/2 cup fresh coconut milk (squeeze fresh coconut flesh through a clean towel)
• 1/4 cup lime juice (freshly squeezed)
• dash of White Wine Vinegar (optional)
• a couple Green Onions (optional)
• Salt and Pepper (to taste)

Details

Servings 4

Preparation

Step 1

Cut the Ahi into bite size nuggets- big enough to sink your teeth into, but small enough to allow other ingredients onto your spoon. Rinse them bad boys in salt water or sea water (for you naturalists). Combine the crushed garlic with the fish cubes and soak it all in salt water for about 10 minutes. Now, it might look good, but don't eat it yet. Trust me.

Grate the carrots, chop the tomatoes, bell peppers and optional green onions. Drain the fish and place it in a bowl. Add lime juice and toss (that means 'mix', not 'throw away'...). Let this concoction stand for at least 5 minutes. This is where the fish gets 'cooked' by the citric acid and makes it so you don't die from nasty bacterium. yum.

In a separate container, combine the coconut milk with salt, pepper and dash of vinegar (optional) and maybe even a drop or two of Tabasco. Pour this coconut mixture over the fish and add all your chopped vegetables. Some places add bits of celery, some parsley or even crushed hard-boiled eggs.