By Michael Minorgan for Curtains Up
www.globalgourmets.ca michael@globalgourmets.ca
Salmon Crudo with Mandarin Gastrique
When it comes to cooking I am a great believer in the KISS (keep it simple stupid) philosophy and one global cuisine that exemplifies this above any other is Italian cuisine. Italian cooks consistently demand the best ingredients and cook them with very little fanfare or complication, their credo is simplicity above all else. I am also a huge fan of sashimi also known for its strict adherence to quality ingredients.
This week’s recipe combines the best of both cuisines and is the Italian equivalent to the Japanese sashimi and the French tartare. Crudo means raw in Italian and it requires the use of raw fish at the utmost peak of freshness and it is dressed simply with a top quality olive oil, a drizzle of fresh lemon juice, a sprinkle of sea salt or fleur de sel and perhaps a very simple garnish of herbs or a light herbaceous salad.
This recipe is a great example of crudo and offers a delicious way to start a meal or to enjoy as a light lunch.
A word of caution it requires very fresh fish and the salmon in this recipe can be easily substituted with scallops, tuna or any other white fleshed fish….Enjoy!
Ingredients
1/2lb salmon
1 bulb of fennel, cut in half lengthwise through the middle
2 medium radishes
1/2 cup of red wine vinegar
1/2 cup of sugar
1 mandarin – zested and juiced
fresh lemon juice
sea salt
4 basil leaves, cut into a fine chiffonade
Preparation
Start by making the gastrique. In a small saucepan combine the sugar and vinegar. Bring to a boil. Add in some of the mandarin zest. Boil away till reduced to about 3/4 cup. Remove from the heat, pour into a small bowl, and let cool – standing this in a bowl of ice water really speeds this up. Put the juice of the mandarin into a different bowl. Add a little of the gastrique to it. Mix. You want the gastrique to just thicken the juice, but you don’t want a syrup. Keep adding the gastrique until you get the consistency that pleases you. Add in some more of the zest, until the mixture is thoroughly specked with the rind. Add a small pinch of salt, mix and then taste. If it needs a little acidity, add a little of the lemon juice.
Slice the fennel and radish very thin.
Cut the salmon into thin slices without the skin
Arrange a disk of overlapping radish on a small plate. Top with half of the salmon belly. Top this with a little of the fennel. Sprinkle over some of the basil chiffonade, and a little of the fennel leaves if you have them. Finish with a little sea salt, and drizzle some of the gastrique around the plate.
