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Yes, it's true there's so much you can do with Vanilla, besides adding flavor to those cakes and cookies. But have you ever thought that Vanilla would go well with seafood? Well, it does! Natasha MacAller, who wrote the cookbook the Vanilla Table came by Tonia's Kitchen to talk about her recipe for "Ota Ika" Ceviche. It includes not only fresh fish, but also a taste of the Pacific isles. Put it in a martini glass, and enjoy this late summer treat!
Cut the boned raw fish fillets into 6-cm/2½-in pieces and place in a non-reactive metal or glass bowl. Add the pepper/ capsicum, onion, mango, half the coconut cream, vanilla paste, lime juice and zest, sweet chilli sauce and hot sauce. Gently fold together, cover and chill for 1 hour.
Just before serving, fold in the kiwi fruit, Asian pear, parsley and remaining coconut cream. Season with sea salt and pepper to taste and gently combine. Chill for up to 30 minutes if wished.
Coconut black sesame wafers
In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the coconut, sesame seeds, sugar, flour and large pinch of sea salt. Add egg, egg whites, zests and butter or coconut oil. Cover and chill for 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F/gas mark 3 (160°C/325°F fan).
Spread batter in a thin, even layer as teardrops or circles on lightly oiled baking paper or mat on a baking tray/ cookie sheet.
Bake until golden brown, turning tray halfway through and checking often to keep from burning; about 10 minutes. Lower oven temperature if needed. Carefully lift wafers from sheet to cooling racks. If you want sharper edges to the wafers, transfer from the tray to a cutting board and use a cookie cutter to cut out desired shapes, then use a palette
knife or small spatula to transfer to cooling racks. If needed, return to oven for a few minutes to soften and reshape.
When cooled, store in an airtight container.
To serve
Spoon the ceviche into 4 coconut shells or martini glasses, sprinkle with spring/green onions or chives, and garnish with a coconut black sesame wafer. Serve immediately.
