The word "crudo" is Italian for raw. However, in the the culinary world, a crudo is a dish of raw fish or seafood, typically dressed with oil, citrus juice, and seasonings. These dishes are very light and fresh that make the perfect starter to any meal. I actually had my first crudo when I moved to Portland, OR. It was topped with fennel and finely diced apple honey crisps with a soy sauce glaze. It was so delicious. Since then, I have been trying many different crudos wanting to create my own perfect blend. I went to this amazing restaurant in Portland called Lechon where they used coconut milk to help balance the acidity in their ceviche. So I was inspired to try incorporating it to my own salmon crudo. The results were phenomenal. I assembled this dish together for some of my co-interns and the feedback was great! This dish is very simple, yet has so many complex flavors that really work together.
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Difficulty: ★☆☆☆☆
INGREDIENTS
Salmon Crudo
1lb frozen, farm raised or sushi grade salmon, sliced thinly (See Ceviche recipe for explanation on how frozen and farm raised salmon can be eaten raw)
2-3 Cucumbers, sliced (I use Persian cucumbers)
¼ cup fresh dill, chopped
¼ cup fresh mint, chopped
1½ tbsp cappers, crushed and chopped
1 shallot, finely chopped
1 tsp dijon mustard
1 tbsp tamari sauce (dark soy sauce)
1 tbsp ponzu sauce
1 tbsp olive oil
½ cup of coconut milk
1 fresh lemon
Garnish
Kewpie mayo
Furikake
Fried garlic
Flakey sea salt
Fresh dill
Fresh mint
Lemon juice
RECIPE
In a medium sized bowl, add the fresh dill, fresh mints, shallots, cappers, dijon mustard, tamari sauce, ponzu sauce, and olive oil. Squeeze 1 half of the fresh lemon into the bowl. Mix gently.
In a deep dish, lay down a layer of the cucumbers until the dish is covered. Next add a layer of salmon on top. Pour coconut milk over the top.
Next, evenly spread the sauce you created in that medium bowl over the salmon and cucumbers. I like using a spoon to help do this.
Finally, it is time to garnish. This is your chance to make your dish pop! Drizzle a light amount of Kewpie mayo over your dish. Then sprinkle furikake, fried garlic, fresh dill and fresh mint on top. Sprinkle in the sea salt flakes and finish off with fresh squeezed lemon juice.
CONCLUSION
I was so pleased with the results of this dish. Such a simple and quick dish but yet so many complex flavors that blend so well together. The butteriness of the salmon and the creaminess of the coconut milk works so well with the fresh cucumbers, dill and mint. It also beautifully balances the acidity from the capers and lemon juice. The sea salt and the furikake garnished at the end is a real game changer. They make the dish more rustic and cohesive. This makes each bite so satisfying. The salmon crudo is going to be my new party starter and am so happy to have discovered this. I hope everyone tries this recipe and falls in love with it as much as I did. I will continue to explore different crudo dishes and will share any tasty findings that I discover. The number of aprons I am going to give the recipe is...
