salmon tartar

My family’s favorite food is sushi, but I don't dare to make it at home… I have tried and tried and it never comes out the way the restaurants make it. Sushi is pretty much the only food we go out to a restaurant for. I really like how most of the sushi places have an open kitchen and you can watch the chefs make the food. This for me is a big bonus… to see how my food is being prepared. Once in a while I make raw fish tartars and ceviche…this is not as challenging as making rolls. I have tried many different versions, and every time I look for new recipes. A few weeks ago I decided to have a raw fish feast.  I picked up some sushi rolls on my way to the hospital and bought raw tuna and salmon for tartare. I made way too much this time I got stuck with 2 different fish tartars. As much as I was craving it… I think I am fished out for a while.

The key to a good tartar is fresh good quality fish. Usually they recommend buying sushi grade, I wanted to test if there is a difference in taste… or just a way to make me spend more money.  I bought both sushi and none sushi grade salmon and tuna. After mixing the fish with all the ingredients you can hardly tell which one is the  better….as long as the fish is fresh and wild caught it will taste as good.

I buy all my seafood at Lobster Place at Chelsea market, absolutely love this place. Any seafood you can imagine- they have it, including my favorite Hamachi collar, which is the most delicious and easiest fish to cook. I will buy it soon and " sell "you my recipe although is more like tip than a recipe. I have tried different stores including Whole Foods, Citarella, Fairway Market and the fish is never as fresh and tasty as the Lobster Place seafood.

This time I made salmon tartar with cabbage and snap pea salad and tuna tartar with goat cheese feta. By the time I finished with both dishes the sun was down and I wasn't able to take pictures. Tomorrow is another day I thought… but fresh seafood is not a cake… and can’t wait for me to finally get to the pictures. As much as salmon looked still semi presentable. Tuna turned brown and not appealing at all. This recipe will have to wait for the next time.

Recipe :

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

1 tablespoon Asian fish sauce

1 tablespoon palm sugar or light brown sugar

1 cilantro stem, chopped, plus 1 tablespoon finely chopped cilantro    leaves

½  teaspoon soy sauce

½  small garlic clove

¼  pound snap peas, trimmed

½  cup shredded green cabbage

Salt

¾  pound skinless sushi-quality salmon fillet, cut into 1/4-inch dice

1 small shallot, minced

1 scallion, white and light green parts only, thinly sliced

1 tablespoon finely chopped mint

1 tablespoon roasted rice powder (optional; see Note)                                               

In a blender, combine the lime juice with the fish sauce, sugar, cilantro stem, soy sauce, garlic, Puree until the dressing is smooth. In a medium pot of salted boiling water, blanch the snap peas until crisp-tender, about 4 minutes. Drain and cool under running water; pat dry. Thinly slice the peas on the diagonal. In a medium bowl, toss the sliced beans with the cabbage and 1 teaspoon of the dressing; season with salt.

In another medium bowl, toss the salmon with the shallot, scallion, cilantro leaves, mint, rice powder. Stir in the remaining dressing and season with salt. Spoon the salmon tartare onto plates and serve the snap peas and cabbage alongside.

NOTES

Roasted rice powder - In a skillet, toast raw white sticky (glutinous) rice over moderately low heat, tossing occasionally, until lightly browned, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a mortar or spice grinder and let cool completely, then grind to a powder. The rice powder can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 6 months.

 

Przepis :

1 lyzka swiezego soku z limonki

1lyzka sosu rybnego

1 lyzka cukru

1 galazka swiezej kolendry plus 1 lyzka posiekanych lisci

½ lyzeczki sosu sojowego

½ zabka czosnku

150gr zielonego groszku

200gr posiekanej zielonej kapusty

sol

350gr lososia dobrej jakosci (ktorego mozna spozywac na surowo) pokrojonego w kostke

1 mala cebulka dymka posiekana

1 galazka szczypiorku (tylko biale I jasno zielone czesci) drobno posiekana

1 lyzka drobno posiekanej miety

1 lyzka uprazonego proszku ryzowego (opcjonalnie- patrz ponizej)

 

W blenderze polaczyc sok z limonki, sos rybny, cukier, galazke kolendry, sos sojowy, czosnek, zmiksowac do kremowej konsystencji

 

W srednim garnku ugotowac groszek w osolnej wodzie 4 minuty. Odsaczyc i schlodzic pod zimna woda, osuszyc I pokroic wzdluz. W sredniej misce polaczyc groszek z kapusta I jedna lyzka sosu, posolic do smaku.

W osobnej misce polaczyc lososia , cebule dymke, szczypiorek, kolendre, miete, proszek ryzowy, polac reszta sosu I posolic do smaku. Podawac z salatka z groszku i kapusty.

 

* Prazony proszek ryzowy:

Na sredniej wielkosci patelni usmazyc ryz , mieszajac aby sie nie przypalil az bedzie ladnie zarumieniony okolo 15 minut. Zmielic w mlynku do przypraw . mozna przechowywac w pojemniku do 6 miesiecy