A while back, I posted a piece about the Meatless Monday Menus at the Michelin-starred restaurant Dovetail. The vegetarian and vegan offerings made waves in the culinary scene when they were first introduced, and among these was the turnip ceviche. Turnips as an inspiration for ceviche is highly odd since it does not lend itself to a soft texture that denatures easily when exposed to acid like lemon or lime juice. In fact, the turnip ceviche at Dovetail is relatively dry. But the flavors meld together surprisingly well. A sour note hits the tongue directly but a sweet flavor melts slowly as the turnip eventually dissolves on the tongue. Since the texture is a bit less soft than a regular ceviche, it is paired with earthy and nutty quinoa instead of a crunchy chip, though jicama adds a touch of crunch. Habañero and pearl onions provide the spice. The result is a dish that is heartier than your average seafood-free ceviche.
Dovetail
103 West 77th Street (near Columbus Ave.)
212-362-3800
Currently based out of Boston, Jesal is a blogger, freelance writer, yoga enthusiast and lifelong vegetarian who spent four years eating her way through New York City and various other cities around the globe. After answering hundreds of emails and phone calls answering the question, "Where's a cool place I can take my vegetarian friend out to eat" she started Veggiewala to efficiently share her knowledge of the vegetarian food scene with curious carnivores, flexitarians and other vegetarians.