Serrano
May 24, 2017
Enrique Serván: "Germany is a part of me."
Enrique Serván has lived in Berlin for over 25 years. Originally from Peru, he moved to Berlin in 1989 - aiming to get his degree in architecture. To make a little bit of money on the side, he started working as a dishwasher in a pizzeria. So began his love affair with cooking. Eventually Serván changed his mind about studying and instead enrolled in cooking school. In 2010, he opened up his own restaurant, Serrano. The name, however, has nothing to do with the famous ham. Instead, it translates roughly to "from the mountains." It's a tip of the hat to Serván's Peruvian family: his mother comes from the Andes and his father from the Amazonas area.
Serrano in Berlin's Wilmersdorf district
Berlin's Wilmersdorf district has a wide variety of restaurants. Serrano is the only truly Peruvian restaurant there with professional chefs.
Traditional Peruvian Ceviche de Pescado
Serves 4
Ingredients:
- 500 g fish filets (meagre, ocean perch, cod, or sea bream), very fresh
- 1/2 Peruvian rocoto peppers or alternative hot pepper variety
- 2 small red onions
- 4-8 ripe limes
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 T coriander
- Optional: 2 t red pepper
- Salt
Preparation:
Remove fish bones, cut fish into almond-sized pieces and salt. Press garlic, add to fish, and stir. Slice rocoto pepper in half, remove core. Slice finely, add to fish, and mix together. Due to the heat of the peppers, it is recommended that you use gloves.
Cut the red onions in half and slice into thin strips. Rinse onions in ice-cold water and allow to drip dry.
Juice limes, pour lime juice over fish, stir, and add coriander. Add red pepper if desired. Allow to marinate for five minutes.
Stir in onion just before serving.
The lime "cooks" the fish and it does not have to be steamed or fried. It is simply served in this manner. The recipe can be varied by adding finely diced celery stalks or fresh ginger to taste. The dish is best served with sweet potatoes and ears of sweet corn or roasted sweet corn.
Restaurant Serrano
Pfalzburgerstr. 83
10719 Berlin
Tel.: +49 30 88929244