Seviche restaurant Louisville recipes Courier Journal archives

Louisville’s iconic Latin American restaurant, Seviche, is celebrating its 25th anniversary.
Chef Anthony Lamas is a multi-time James Beard Award semifinalist known for his Latin-Southern fusion cuisine.
The Courier Journal has shared several of the chef’s recipes over the years, including two types of ceviche.
Other featured recipes include a lobster and pumpkin bisque, sorghum-glazed Brussels sprouts, and a pumpkin flan.

Seviche, the iconic Latin American restaurant at the corner of Stevens Avenue and Bardstown Road in the Highlands, is celebrating 25 years in Louisville.

Lamas, a multi-time James Beard Award semifinalist, is known for his innovative Latin-Southern fusion cuisine, such as its Kentucky Bison Empanadas, its range of fresh Ceviche and the iconic “The Avocado” dessert, made with avocado ice cream and a bourbon truffle “pit,” served inside a chocolate shell with coffee pine nut soil.

Here is a look back at five recipes chef Lamas has shared with the Courier Journal over the years.

Shrimp ceviche

1 pound (or more to your liking) of wild-caught, domestic or Canadian shrimp
Cucumber, peeled and diced
Fresh jalapeno pepper, thinly sliced, to taste
Serrano pepper, thinly sliced, to taste
Heirloom tomato, diced
Avocado, diced
Red onion, sliced
Fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
Fresh lemon
Fresh lime
Salt and pepper

Poaching liquid

Water
Bay leaves
Kosher salt
Lemon peel

Ice bath

Bring a pot of water to boil and add about a tablespoon of kosher salt, a couple of pieces of lemon peel (be sure not to get any of the bitter white pith when you slice off the peeling), and a couple of bay leaves.

Add the shrimp and poach for one to two minutes. They should begin to turn pink, but still remain soft, and look a little grey/uncooked on the insides.

Remove from heat and plunge in an ice bath, then drain.

Squeeze the juice of a lemon and a lime onto the shrimp, about one each per pound of shrimp.

In a mixing bowl, combine the cucumbers, peppers, tomatoes, onion, salt, and pepper.

Toss with the shrimp, then top with avocado and cilantro. Serve with tortilla chips.

Tuna ceviche with pineapple salsa

Sashimi-grade ahi tuna kept very cold (give it a few minutes in the freezer before slicing)
Fresh pineapple, cubed (and/or watermelon, green apple)
Heirloom tomato, cubed
Cucumber, cubed
Fresh jalapeno pepper, thinly sliced, to taste
Fresh cilantro

Ponzu sauce:

Soy sauce
Sesame oil
Lime
Fresh ginger, finely chopped

Bonus ingredients:

Wontons, crumbled
Sesame seeds

Make (or buy) a ponzu sauce by mixing soy sauce, a little sesame oil, fresh lime juice, and finely chopped ginger.

For the salsa, toss the fruit(s), tomato, cucumber, and jalapeno together, then stir in the ponzu sauce.

Slice the tuna nearly paper-thin and arrange on a plate.

Drizzle with the salsa and top with cilantro, crumbled wontons, and sesame seeds. Serve immediately.

Lobster and pumpkin bisque

Serves 6 to 8

The stock

6 to 7 quarts water (enough to cover lobster by 1 and 1/2 to 2 inches)
2 tablespoons kosher salt
2 teaspoons whole black peppercorns
3 stalks celery, roughly chopped
1 carrot, roughly chopped
1 and 1/2 onions, roughly chopped
Peeled zest from 1 lemon
1 whole live lobster (about 1 to 1-and-1/-2-pounds), killed humanely*

The bisque

1 cup of 1-inch diced fresh pumpkin or butternut squash
1 cup whole canned tomatoes with some of the juice, crushed
2 tablespoons tomato paste
3/4 to 1 teaspoon homemade Sazón (see below)
Pinch to 1/8 teaspoon ground habanero
Pinch of grated nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon lemon oil or the finely grated zest of 1/2 lemon
1 cup heavy cream
4 tablespoons roux**
Dry sherry
Crumbled fresh goat cheese (optional)

The stock: In a large stockpot. Combine all the ingredients except the lobster and bring to a boil. Add the lobster. Bring liquid back to a boil, and cook seven to eight minutes, just until tender. Remove lobster and transfer to an ice bath. Drain lobster and remove meat from the tail, claws and knuckles. Refrigerate until ready to use. Remove and discard intestines from lobster shell and place shell back in pot. Return stock to a boil and lower heat to a simmer. Cook 1 to 1-and-one-half hours. Strain stock through a fine mesh sieve into a large stockpot, pushing on the solids to get all the juices. Discard solids.

Bisque: Place 1-and-one-half-quarts of stock in a large saucepan. (Freeze the rest in an airtight container for up to four months.) Bring to a boil and add pumpkin or squash, then reduce heat to a simmer. Cook, partially covered, until the squash is tender, 15 to 20 minutes, skimming the surface of the stock, if necessary. When squash is tender, add tomatoes, tomato paste, Sazón, habanero powder, nutmeg and lemon oil or zest, stirring to combine well. Bring mixture to a boil. Lower heat and cook, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Transfer to a high-speed blender in batches, and purée. Transfer mixture to a large saucepan. Add cream. Raise heat to medium-high, and bring just to boiling. Reduce heat and stir in the roux, a little at a time, cooking over low heat until soup is the desired consistency. Taste and adjust seasonings.

To serve: If garnishing with lobster meat, place chunks of lobster in a small skillet with about one-fourth cup warm water whisked with about one tablespoon unsalted butter. Baste for a few minutes, just until heated through. In individual, large, shallow soup bowls, place pieces of lobster on the bottom, and pour in soup. Drizzle with sherry. Or, sprinkle with goat cheese and serve immediately.

Sazón

1 tablespoon each of ground coriander, ground cumin, ground garlic powder, achiote or ground annatto seeds, and kosher salt

In a small bowl, combine all the ingredients and mix well. Store in a small, airtight container for up to six months.

*Place live lobster in freezer for about 15 minutes so it becomes immobile. Remove and place on its back on a cutting board. Relax the tail by straightening it out. Place the point of a large chef’s knife at the center of the lobster just below the large claws. With blade facing toward the head, quickly push the point of the knife through to the cutting board and slice forward through the center of the head. This kills the lobster instantly. It is not unusual for the lobster to spasm, an involuntary nerve response and not the lobster reacting.

**Melt 8 tablespoons unsalted butter. Slowly add an equal amount of all-purpose flour, using a whisk or spoon to stir constantly while cooking over medium heat. Cook several minutes, just until flour taste is cooked out. Don’t let mixture turn brown. Use immediately or cover and refrigerate. When you want to use a few tablespoons, warm mixture slightly in microwave.

Sorghum-glazed Brussels sprouts with pecans

Serves 6 to 8

2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more as needed
3 and 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
1 pound Brussels sprouts, washed and ends trimmed, cut in half
1 tablespoon canola oil
1/2 cup toasted and chopped pecans*
2 to 3 tablespoons sorghum or pure maple syrup

In a large saucepan, bring two quarts of water to a boil. Add two teaspoons of the salt and two tablespoons of the butter. Add Brussels sprouts. Cook three minutes, then remove and plunge in an ice water bath. Once they’re cool enough to handle, remove and drain on paper towels.

In a large skillet, heat oil until hot but not smoking over medium-high heat. Add Brussels sprouts in a single layer, flat side down. Cook without moving them until bottoms are caramelized and seared to a nice brown color, three to five minutes. Flip them over. Add remaining butter, and cook another few minutes, until the other side is caramelized, adjusting heat, if necessary, so butter doesn’t burn. Add salt and chopped pecans. Stir well to combine, and warm through. Remove from heat and drizzle with sorghum. Serve immediately.

*To toast nuts, heat oven to 325 degrees. Spread nuts in a single layer on a baking sheet. Toast five minutes. Shake pan to redistribute nuts, and then put it back in oven for another five minutes. Check the nuts. They should be lightly browned and smell nutty. If necessary, toast for two or three minutes. Alternatively, brown nuts in a dry skillet over medium heat, just until they give off a nutty aroma and are lightly browned.

Pumpkin flan

Makes approximately 10 4-ounce servings

1 cup water
3/4 cup sugar
14-ounce can evaporated milk
14-ounce can condensed milk
10 egg yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
8 ounces Pumpkin Real Infused Syrup (available at Liquor Barn)
1 cup pumpkin purée

In a saucepan, mix sugar and water. Bring to a boil for a few minutes until the sugar caramelizes. Pour caramelized sugar into aluminum molds. (Use any shape.) Spread caramel on the bottom of the molds. Set aside at room temperature until hardened. Preheat oven to about 350 degrees.

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