Recipe: A ceviche recipe for folks who don’t eat raw fish

If you subscribe to the “Finding Nemo” slogan “Fish are friends, not food” — or simply don’t want to mess with raw fish — you’ll be relieved to know you can still enjoy all the tang, texture and freshness of traditional ceviche.

King trumpet mushrooms have thick, meaty white stalks that tear easily into irregular chunks that have a surprisingly fish-like appearance and texture. Cured in plenty of lime juice and salt, the mushrooms become tender and tangy, then mingle with crisp red onion and cucumber, juicy tomatoes and fresh cilantro.

Pile the ceviche onto crunchy tostadas, tuck it into tacos or simply scoop it up with tortilla chips.

Oyster mushrooms make a good substitute and, unlike king trumpets, don’t need to be peeled. To make the ceviche ahead, cure the mushrooms and onion in the lime juice and salt, then refrigerate. Fold in the tomatoes, cucumber and cilantro just before serving so they stay bright, fresh and crisp.

Fish Are Friends Ceviche

Yield: Makes about 1½ quarts

INGREDIENTS

¼ cup freshly squeezed lime juice

1½ teaspoons salt plus more to taste

1 white onion, finely chopped

6 ounces king trumpet mushrooms

½ cucumber, seeded and finely chopped

6 Roma tomatoes, finely chopped

1 small bunch cilantro, chopped

DIRECTIONS

In a mixing bowl, combine the lime juice, salt and onion. If the mushroom stalks have a tough outer layer, lightly peel them by pinching the skin at the base of the stalk and pulling it upward toward the cap. Tear the stalks and caps into small, dime-size pieces and add them to the lime mixture. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours to cure.

Just before serving, fold in the cucumber, tomatoes and cilantro. Taste and add more salt as needed. Serve immediately on tostadas, tucked into tacos or with tortilla chips for scooping.

Registered dietitian and food writer Laura McLively is the author of “The Berkeley Bowl Cookbook.” Follow her at @myberkeleybowl and lauramclively.com.