Crane Heart Ceviche

Crane Heart Ceviche—this dish may sound a little out there, but if you have followed my recipes before, you know that you can trust me on how delicious and nutritious this dish truly is.

On a recent crane hunt in Texas, our guide suggested the idea of trying it. After a couple of cervezas, we agreed it was worth a shot! And we were not disappointed… Even the most squeamish person in the room actually enjoyed this dish!

This Crane Heart Ceviche is delicious, easy, and—my GOD—it is a great conversation piece. Keep in mind you can use the heart of any game bird… so go for it! Experiment a little.

Ceviche is a Peruvian dish typically made from seafood and shrimp. The acidity in the lime juice cures the meat causing it to denature the proteins and become firm and opaque while absorbing flavor. So, essentially, it is chemically cooked by the lime juice. It is a zesty, spicy recipe and you will not be disappointed.

In my experience, I've found that there is no real or one way to make ceviche. You just have to trust the process (and fly by the seat of your pants). 

I am going to list the ingredients and you can decide how much of what you want to use. My rule of thumb? Equal parts of the meat, cilantro, and produce results in a perfect outcome. For the lime juice, use A LOT. In fact, make sure your ingredients are essentially soaking in it.

Ingredients:

• Lime juice—and lots of it—to soak all your ingredients. You'll need at least 8-10 limes. Keep in mind, you're not making lime juice soup. Just make sure to have enough to cover your ingredients completely.

Be sure to use equal parts of the following...

• Finely chopped crane hearts (or other game bird)
• Finely chopped red onions
• Finely chopped tomatoes
• Finely chopped cilantro

Then, add these ingredients to suit your tastes:

• Finely chopped jalapeno
• Finely chopped garlic
• Black pepper
• Red pepper (optional)

Directions:

Now it's time to brace yourself for this very intricate recipe.

1. Take all ingredients listed above, put them in a bowl, and make sure they're evenly covered with lime juice.
2. Toss your ingredients every few minutes. You will see the meat start to turn a grayish color.
3. Once your meat turns a red/gray color - it is ready! 

Serving suggestions:

Serve in a large bowl so everyone can serve themselves.

You can also try this serving option: Find some cooked tortillas at your local grocery store. You can typically find them in the refrigerated section. 

Warm these up in a hot pan and once ready, top with your ceviche. The flavor and texture cannot be beaten.

You can give these ready tacos a sear on the pan to cook them more thoroughly. From there, cut your ceviche tacos into quarter sections. Salt lightly and pair with fresh, chopped avocado on the side.

This dish pairs very well with a Mexican lager or a bold tequila. For a fun cocktail party idea serve a variety of tequilas for tasting, with your ceviche acting as a palate cleanser.