Artist Gabriel Rico’s red snapper ceviche recipe

Snap up Gabriel Rico's gravity-defying fish out of water, as featured in our monthly Artist's Palate series, where we interpret recipes in homage to our favourite contemporary art

Mexican artist Gabriel Rico’s Artist’s Palate recipe for 'red snapper ceviche', as featured in the June 2021 issue of Wallpaper* food by Sara Goodman
Gabriel Rico’s recipe for 'red snapper ceviche', as featured in the June 2021 issue of Wallpaper*. Food: Sara Goodman
(Image credit: Nicolas Polli)

* As featured in our monthly Artist's Palate series

Mexican conceptualist Gabriel Rico creates poetic assemblages that bring together found objects with crafted pieces. Whimsical at first glance, they have an architectural rigour and give corporeal form to scientific principles and existential musings. His goal is to encourage the viewer to engage with big issues, such as the evolving relationship between humans and the natural environment.

‘Art acts like a bridge and is a language all of us understand,’ he says. Inspired by his Excessive Butter series (taxidermied deer heads with various sports balls balanced between their antlers), we created this interpretation of his favourite ceviche, using ingredients for which his adopted hometown of Guadalajara is known. ‘It’s mixed with some other products that come from the north of the country, like chiltepin peppers,’ he says. ‘The decision to use pomegranate is a personal touch.’

Gabriel Rico’s recipe for red snapper ceviche

400g red snapper fillet (or you can use other white fish)
¾ cup lemon juice 
1 green mango, peeled and cut into small cubes
2 chiltepin peppers, crushed with a mortar (or 1/4 serrano or jalapeño pepper to make it less spicy) 
3 tbsp chopped coriander 
½ cup pomegranate seeds 
¼ cup finely chopped red onion 
salt and pepper, to taste 
Avocado and corn tostadas, to serve

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Gabriel Rico, II Mural, from the series, Reducción objetiva orquestada (2016 - 2021), 2020. Mixed media, brass, neon © Diego G. Argüelles / Courtesy of the artist and Perrotin

(Image credit: Diego G. Argüelles, Courtesy of the artist and Perrotin)

Method

Cut the fish fillet into squares, then mix with the lemon juice in a bowl. Refrigerate for 15 minutes so the lemon can ‘cook’ the fish. 

Add the mango, chillies, coriander, pomegranate and onion, and season to taste with salt and pepper. You could also add about half a spoonful of good quality olive oil. Mix well and serve with avocado and corn tostadas. 

‘Guadalajara is the city where I live and it's very close to the Pacific coast so normally I'm visiting the area where the food from the sea is very good and it's mixed with some other products that come from the northeast and north of the country like chiltepín pepper. The decision to use pomegranate is a personal touch.’

This article originally featured in the June 2021 issue of Wallpaper* (W*266),  available for free download

INFORMATION

Gabriel Rico is at Perrotin New York until 5 June. perrotin.com 

TF Chan is a former editor of Wallpaper* (2020-23), where he was responsible for the monthly print magazine, planning, commissioning, editing and writing long-lead content across all pillars. He also played a leading role in multi-channel editorial franchises, such as Wallpaper’s annual Design Awards, Guest Editor takeovers and Next Generation series. He aims to create world-class, visually-driven content while championing diversity, international representation and social impact. TF joined Wallpaper* as an intern in January 2013, and served as its commissioning editor from 2017-20, winning a 30 under 30 New Talent Award from the Professional Publishers’ Association. Born and raised in Hong Kong, he holds an undergraduate degree in history from Princeton University.

With contributions from