Serves 2
Salmon Tartare:
250-300g fresh Salmon – skinned and boned (must be of the freshest quality)
Lemon
Chives
Sea salt
Pepper (I used a combination of ground black and white pepper)
Capers (I used dried, salted capers)
Eshallot
Olive Oil
Salmon Roe (to garnish)
Optional: Finely grated lemon rind, dill
Dice salmon evenly into 1 cm sized cubes – enough to fill 2 small creme brulee sized ramekins.
To the salmon, add a good drizzle of olive oil, juice of about 1/2 a lemon, finely minced eshallot, capers and finely chopped chives. Gently mix until combined. Season to taste.
Divide salmon mixture into ramekins and press down firmly until even on top. Place ramekins into the refrigerator for at least 15 minutes.
Lemon Creme Fraiche:
Creme Fraiche
Lemon – rind and juice
Lemon Thyme
Sea Salt
Freshly ground white pepper
Thoroughly wash lemon.
Place a couple of large spoon fulls of creme fraiche into a bowl and add finely grated rind from one lemon, juice of 1/2 the lemon, lemon thyme leaves from about 2 sprigs. Season to taste.
Place creme fraiche into a piping bag (I used a zip lock bag) and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Remove ramekins from the refrigerator and carefully run a knife around the edge and turn out moulded salmon into the centre of each plate and serve with piped creme fraiche and garnish with salmon roe and sprigs of chives.
Notes:
– Salmon was purchased from Christies already filleted and boneless ($29/kilo)
– By adding the lemon juice to the salmon mixture, the fish looses its shiny colour and turns opaque as the fish starts cooking in the lemon juice. Alternatively mold and plate immediately to eat or drizzle with lemon juice over salmon just prior to serving or use lemon rind only or drizzle with a simple oil and lemon vinaigrette when serving.
– Finely grated lemon rind could be added to the salmon
– Alternatively lemon could be substituted with lime.
– Some recipes suggest placing salmon in the freezer for 10-15 minutes to make it easier to slice.
– Further variations could include ginger or dill and garnishing with baby herbs.
Useful websites:
French Laundry At Home
Masterchef Salmon Tartare
Delicious Days
Fine Living – Thomas Keller’s Salmon Tartare
I paired salmon and creme fraiche too. Yours looks very elegant!
Lori Lynn