This is Round II for the National Ceviche Day collaborative series between My Table and Pisco Portón. For more information, click here.

Coppa

Chef Brandi Key always keeps guests interested with slight variations to well-loved Italian dishes, and she’s bringing the same technique to Coppa‘s ceviche. Fried basil, orange and Champagne vinegar together create an acidic, green background for branzini, snapper or grouper. Coppa’s signature cocktail, the Orange Flower Pisco Sour, featuring Pisco Portón, carries forward the orange and green profile with fennel and orange olive oil. Check out both recipes below.

Coppa, 5555 Washington Ave.

Coppa Ceviche

makes 2 servings

  • 1 cup rice flour
  • 1 Tbsp. baking powder
  • as needed club soda
  • 5 each basil leaves
  • frying oil
  • 1 each orange, juice only
  • 2 Tbsp. Champagne vinegar
  • 4 oz. thinly sliced branzini, snapper or grouper, approximately 6 to 8 slices
  • as needed Maldon salt (flaked sea salt)
  • 1 Tbsp. fennel stalks, cut into very small cubes
  • 1 Tbsp. fennel fronds
  • 1 Tbsp. red onion, cut into very small cubes
  • pinch aleppo pepper
  • pinch fennel pollen (optional)
  • 1 Tbsp. orange olive oil
  • as needed kosher salt

METHOD: Make a batter with the rice flour, baking powder and enough club soda to make a thick batter. Heat just enough oil in a sauce pan to cook the basil leaves. Heat the oil until hot, then dip the basil leaves in the batter and fry until crispy, approximately 30 seconds. Transfer the leaves to a paper towel and season lightly with kosher salt.

Combine the orange juice and Champagne vinegar in a container. Season the fish with Maldon salt, then pour enough of the orange mixture to cover the fish and set aside for 5 minutes reserving the remaining liquid.

After 5 minutes, remove the fish from the orange mixture and arrange on a plate so that the pieces are folded over. Sprinkle the fish with the fennel stalks, fennel fronds and red onion. Season the fish across the top with the aleppo pepper and fennel pollen (if using). Pour enough of the remaining orange mixture to coat the bottom of the fish completely.

Finish the ceviche with orange olive oil. Place the crispy basil leaves alternating between the fish standing up. The ceviche can be eaten with the fried basil leaves serving as a chip.

Orange Flower Pisco Sour

makes 2 servings

  • 4 oz. Pisco Portón 
  • 1 oz. orange olive oil
  • 8–10 drops fennel bitters
  • 2-3 drops orange flower water
  • 1 oz. fresh lemon juice
  • 1 oz. simple syrup
  • 2 each egg white
  • pinch fennel pollen (optional)

METHOD: Measure all of the ingredients into a large shaker and dry shake (don’t add ice) the mixture with a whipping ball for approximately 1 minute to break down the egg whites. Fill the shaker tin with ice and shake hard for approximately 2 to 3 minutes more until the shaker tin ices over. Double strain the cocktail into two wine glasses and garnish with a pinch of fennel pollen in each glass.