We speared lionfish on our recent sailing trip to the Exumas. Check out the delicious lionfish ceviche recipe that we made while afloat.
Matt and Britney Weidert

Matt Weidert

Lionfish Ceviche Recipe

On our recent Exumas Bahamas sailing trip, we made an effort to get off the beaten path and explore islands that are avoided by most cruisers.

One of the benefits is that we enjoyed abundant marine life that would otherwise not be found in crowded anchorages.
 
Ship Channel Cay anchorage in the Exumas where we speared 2 lionfish on the coral heads next to the yacht
Ship Channel Cay anchorage in the Exumas where we speared 2 lionfish on the coral heads next to the yacht
On the many reefs and coral heads that we snorkeled, it was all too common to see lionfish.

Lionfish are absolutely beautiful underwater, but they are actually quite damaging to Bahamian and Caribbean reefs since they are an invasive species - they have no natural predators.
   
Lionfish on a Carribbean reef
Lionfish on a Carribbean reef
 
One of the lionfish that we speared at Ship Channel Cay
One of the lionfish that we speared at Ship Channel Cay
They are a big threat to reefs and natural ecosystems. Because of this - we took shots at them with our Hawaiian sling (spear guns are illegal in the Bahamas) whenever we could.

Lionfish do need to handled carefully since they have 18 venomous spines. Before we fillet the fish, we trim each of these spines off with a pair of strong scissors.

Here's a video on how to safely trim the lionfish spines:  
 
 
The good news with lionfish is that they are excellent eating! They are great as fillets or in fish tacos - but my favorite way to eat them is in a ceviche. 

Make it as an appetizer to share with the whole crew - it goes great with tortilla chips!

Here's the recipe we used on our recent trip:

Lionfish Ceviche Ingredients

  • 2 lionfish fillets, diced (note: if you don't have lionfish, you can replace with snapper, grouper, or even conch - they all work great!
  • 1 cup of lime juice
  • 1 cup of roughly chopped cilantro (half of a bunch)
  • 1/2 red onion, diced
  • 1/2 green bell pepper, diced
  • 1/2 red bell pepper, diced
  • 2-3 tomatoes, diced
  • 1 avocado, diced
  • 1 jalapeno or serrano pepper (optional)
  • 1 tsp salt, additional salt and black pepper to taste
  • Serve with tortilla chips or tostadas

Method

  1. Prepare your ingredients and mix everything together except for the avocado.
  2. Pour the lime juice over mixture - make sure there is enough juice to cover all of the ingredients. 
  3. Set aside and let the ceviche marinate for 20-30 minutes. The lionfish is ready when it turns opaque.
  4. Add the avocado and combine.
  5. Taste and add salt as needed.
  6. Serve with chips and enjoy!
This will make enough for an appetizer for the sailing crew (up to 8 people). If you have more lionfish fillets, just double the recipe. 


Explorá estos artículos relacionados de Yacht Warriors

¿Cuándo es tu próximo charter en yate?
Considerá navegar con Yacht Warriors.

Solicitar un charter Conocé más
Destination Background

Charter. Más allá.

Inspirate con nuevas ideas para tu próximo viaje en yate: guías exclusivas, itinerarios de navegación, consejos de planificación y más. Suscribite y recibí nuestro documento gratuito de planificación para las BVI.

    Historias reales en el mar
    Desde calas escondidas hasta los mejores puntos de fondeo, compartimos experiencias de primera mano para enriquecer tu próxima travesía.
    Consejos exclusivos, dos veces al mes
    Nuestro newsletter te abre la puerta a los secretos de un charter exitoso, sin costo alguno. Además, podés darte de baja cuando quieras.