THE ESSENCE
“In Peru ceviche is usually served family-style,” says La Royal chef/co-owner JuanMa Calderón. “Once everyone’s eaten the fish and seafood, we all fight over the juice that’s left behind.” Filled with delicious and nutritious seafood essence, this liquid gold is called leche de tigre, or tiger’s milk, and considered a powerful aphrodisiac and hangover cure. At La Royal it’s made out of blue cod, fish stock, ginger, celery, red onion, garlic, lime, and salsa madre (see below), emulsified in a blender with some ice cubes and vegetable oil. “At our first restaurant, Celeste, we served thousands of ceviches and people kept leaving the juice behind—but that’s the best part!” director/co-owner Maria Rondeau says. “So this dish is like an upside-down ceviche. When the fish sinks, you have…
