Recipe: Salmon Starter 3 Ways

Salmon lovers, this made-up recipe is a great warm-season starter or main course. And it’s light, too!

This is a beautiful, very delicious and light starter or it can be a whole meal. It’s a wonderful way to sample salmon in three guises. The jalapeño emulsion was inspired by a crudo recipe from Le Bernardin but I changed it a bit. The freshest salmon is needed for this, so look for a sushi-quality fish monger. I rely on Cook’s Seafood in Menlo Park. I use home-smoked pink rainbow trout that’s stovetop-smoked over dried herb stems for the smoked salmon, which I get from Ocean2Table. Bi-Rite markets in San Francisco also carry this wonderful trout. Mostly, quantities aren’t listed because this is up to the cook.

The details below don’t have a serving quantity but this should work for 4-8 people as a starter. The third guise of salmon is not pictured above but consists of salmon tartare on a cracker. A couple of these can be added to a bigger plate than what’s pictured or passed separately.

Salmon Starter 3 Ways

Ingredients:

around 1½ lbs. king salmon filet, as fresh as possible, deboned and skinned

salmon tartare (this uses 1 lb. of the salmon), recipe below

crackers for the tartare (best is Mary’s Gone Crackers super seed everything)

good-quality smoked salmon (or home smoke salmon or pink trout), about ½ lb.

jalapeño emulsion, recipe below

different kinds of radish, particularly watermelon radish and black radish

fennel bulb

minced chives

micro sprouts like radish sprouts

Technique:

• Thinly slice the radishes and put into cold water to cover. Use a mandoline and cut thin slices of the fennel. Cut into bite-sized pieces. Toss with a little jalapeño emulsion and refrigerate.
• Cut the half pound of skinned salmon into small square pieces. Right before plating, toss with some diced shallot, lemon EVOO and a little lemon balsamic (or lemon juice) plus salt and pepper. Just enough to lightly dress. Make sure the smoked fish is boned and skinned. Cut into similar-sized pieces and refrigerate.
• Long white plates are attractive for this dish. Spread a little of the fennel on the bottom of each plate as a base. Don’t use too much. Alternate a slice of raw fish with a slice of smoked fish.
• Decorate the plate with slices of radish and a little micro-sprouts on top. Drizzle jalapeño emulsion across everything; don’t use too much. Finish with some snipped chives. Add a couple of crackers with tartare to the end of each plate or pass separately.

THE JALAPEÑO EMULSION
1/2 cup minced jalapeños, seeds and ribs removed (use plastic gloves)
2 teaspoon minced shallot
6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
Fine sea salt and freshly ground white pepper

(optional) a little sugar to balance flavors

• For the emulsion, combine the peppers, shallot, olive oil, cilantro and lemon juice in a blender and process until smooth and emulsified. Season to taste with salt and white pepper. Transfer to a container and refrigerate until ready to use.

Salmon Tartare

1 pound salmon fillet, with skin, bones and purple-colored area next to skin removed

1 bunch fresh parsley

2 anchovy fillets

4 tablespoons minced shallots

3 tablespoons capers, drained

2 tablespoons prepared horseradish (can be the creamy kind)

2 tablespoons grainy prepared mustard (French is best)

Freshly squeezed lemon juice to taste (at least 2 tablespoons)

Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:

Chop the salmon reasonably fine by hand. Chop the parsley, anchovies, and shallots fine. Add the whole capers, horseradish, and mustard, and stir well. Mix with the salmon, and (right before serving) add lemon juice, and salt and pepper. Serve with toast points or with crackers as an hors d’oeuvre.

* Put tartare on Mary’s crackers and serve on side of plate

Hola to Gourmet Tacos!

This classic Mexican street food is being transformed by creative chefs into an unlimited range of delicious offerings.

(Published by South Bay Accent magazine in March, 2019.)

Food trends can be fleeting; think raw food, cupcakes, molecular gastronomy and that rusty fondue set way in the back of your grandmother’s cupboard. But some trends have such broad appeal that they stick around, gather momentum and move into the mainstream. Upscale tacos are now in that favored spot, with this traditional Mexican street food having morphed into an anything-goes movement in which all sorts of delicious items are wrapped up — usually in a soft, heated corn tortilla but not necessarily — and snarfed down by a delighted public.

Seafood Extravaganza in the Row

Soft-shell crab sliders are crunchy, delicious, textural wonders among a vast assortment of choices.

(Published by South Bay Accent magazine in June, 2018.)

Imagine a restaurateur planning the menu for a new seafood place who scribbles down every beloved from-the-sea dish around, regardless of type (finger food, starter, voluminous entree)  and cuisine (European, Asian, Latin, regional American).  But rather than selecting a few, he includes them all.  This is the improbable but wildly successful premise of Santana Row’s new hit, EMC Seafood. Rumored to stand for “eat more clams,” this busy, contemporary spot serves sashimi, sushi rolls, fish tacos, Parisian-style towering platters of seafood, New England clam chowder and lobster rolls, shucked oysters, inspired seafood pasta preparations, grilled fish, elegant entrees and even that old standby, shrimp cocktail.

Way Beyond Sushi

Bay Area diners are increasingly crazy about Japanese cuisine, which is fresh, healthful and includes much more than just raw fish.

(Published by South Bay Accent magazine in February 2018.)

Quick — what city in the world has received the most Michelin stars for its restaurants?  Paris, you say?  Not even close. Tokyo has led this august group of awardees for awhile now, boasting almost triple the stars compared to the French capital: 302 versus just 105, including a dozen achieving the lofty three-star ranking.  This interesting development underscores a trend that is well underway in the South Bay, where Japanese cuisine is hot, hot, hot.

Crazy for Abalone

Red abalone is a locally raised ingredient that is inspiring chefs around the region. 

(Published by South Bay Accent magazine in October, 2017.)

Once so common in California that it could be collected at low tide, red abalone — the tastiest member of the species — is now a luxury ingredient not seen on many menus but beloved by those who have tried it. Rich, subtle, creamy, with a whisper of ocean, the meat of this giant sea snail is different from most other seafood. Deliciously so.

Utterly Delicous Albacore Tuna Crudo Recipe

“Crudo” is essentially an Italian way to present pristine raw fish — think sashimi but more interesting and varied — and this recipe is a winner.

Albacore Crudo with Strawberries and Nuoc Cham

This is a simple, absolutely wonderful recipe if you have super-fresh fish and want a quick way to prepare it.  Besides being utterly delicious, it’s pretty and lends itself well to adaptations.  For the uninitiated, “crudo” is the same concept as sashimi except the preparation is as varied as the cook’s imagination. While nominally an Italian dish, it’s prepared in all kinds of ways by fancy chefs and home cooks. In my dish, the richness of the fish is underscored by the light, slightly citrusy sauce with its Asian flavors, which I pump up a bit with the barest drizzle of lime oil.  The sweet/tart pop of strawberries goes quite well with this. Even if using strawberries with fish sounds weird to you, try it anyway and you won’t be sorry. Or use pomegranate seeds.

Where to Get Fresh Local Abalone

Once harvested commercially until few were left in the wild, California red abalone is so delicious that demand is ongoing.  Now the farmed abalone available at two Bay Area operations is said to taste even better than the wild kind and is a “best choice” according to the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch. Find out where to buy it in the Bay Area and learn about its interesting history. Read all about it on KQED’s Bay Area Bites here.

Hawaiian Food Hot in Bay Area

There’s more to modern-day Hawaii than beautiful beaches. The food has become almost as popular on the mainland as tropical vacations.

(Published by South Bay Accent magazine in February, 2017)

It might take five hours to fly to the Hawaiian Islands from the Bay Area but for many of us, the gorgeous 50th state feel like it’s almost next door given how nui (that means “big”) Hawaii is as a popular vacation destination. But in recent years, we can get a taste of the islands without any air travel whatsoever because Hawaiian music, drinks and — particularly — food have become a sizzling trend on the mainland. Too bad the trade winds and sub-tropical sunsets aren’t as easy to transplant.

(Recipe) Beet-Cured Salmon; Gorgeous, Easy and Tasty

Gravlax is a beloved staple in Scandinavia and in Jewish households that wouldn’t serve anything else but lox with their bagels and cream cheese. This simple fish curing technique is based on the idea of preserving salmon with a combination of salt and sugar. It’s super easy and only requires a little foresight because curing takes a couple of days.

Finding the Best Summer Food

Hot weather means bring on the cool, light ingredients.

(Published by South Bay Accent in August, 2014.)

Hot summer days can define your dining choices. Who wants stick-to-the-ribs dishes when sizzling weather calls for light, cool cuisine — if possible, featuring all of summer’s divine fruits and vegetables. So slip into your shorts and peruse our list of 10 great restaurant choices for summer dining and drinking, featuring dishes so delectable that you’ll want to have them all year long.

Fish and Lots of Peeps on the Row

San Jose’s Santana Row has consistently been a hot people and restaurant destination in the South Bay.  A semi-new arrival is Lark Creek Blue.

(Published by South Bay Accent in August, 2013.)

Too many restaurants these days call themselves “farm to table” — which should mean focused on super-fresh local ingredients — but the dozen-plus spots in the upscale Lark Creek Group come by it honestly. The chain was co-founded in 1988 by notable chef Bradley Ogden before this term was invented to celebrate “seasonal, farm-fresh American fare.” Years — and many restaurants — later, nothing has changed.  That’s why one of the newest spots, Lark Creek Blue in Santana Row, makes sure its seafood complies with the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s sustainability requirements while getting many of its ingredients from small family farms.

(Recipe) Herb Salad – It’s Great as a Sauce!

Herbs make a mouthful of taste when used as a salad and work as a great counterpoint to many savory dishes.

Many sauces include herbs as a key flavor agent — hollandaise and pesto are just the beginning — so why not lighten things up and use just the herbs?  It’s less crazy than it seems once you’ve tried it.  Plus, a little pile of lightly dressed greenery is a lovely addition to a plate.

Knock-’em-Dead Appetizer, Knocked off from French Laundry

If you’ve been to the French Laundry, this ubiquitous starter is one of Thomas Keller’s best-known creations. Tiny seed-flecked cones are filled with salmon tartare and minced onion with some caviar (naturally) crowning the top along with a microscopic sprig of dill. Called salmon cornets, they require a regiment of prep cooks, special holders and all the usual rigamarole of this temple of refined cuisine.

The recipe has long been available and self-flagellating home cooks can certainly make them at home with great effort.  But why would you want to when the flavor profile can be captured in a waaaaay easier-to-make version that you can throw together fast and serve to happy guests?

(Recipe) Salmon’s Best Friend

Given the amount of salmon consumed in my health-conscious household (particularly by my spouse), I’ve tried or invented countless sauces, glazes and marinades while experimenting with cooking methods like steaming, pan roasting, sauteeing, grilling, smoking, cooking in our beloved combi-steam oven and serving raw in a crudo treatment.   Several of these recipes are posted on this blog. (Look under fish/seafood.) While all of them have been enjoyable, there’s one recipe that soars above the rest in terms of ease, fewer calories and — particularly — unbeatable flavor: a miso marinade/glaze/sauce that marries with salmon as happily as Barak does with Michelle.

All About Seafood

Hamburgers and steak aren’t my thing but get me near some fresh, local salmon or pristine hamachi and I start salivating.  With this in mind, I wrote a paean to my favorite protein, which appeared in South Bay Accent in January 2013:

The Bay Area is spoiled rotten when it comes to seafood.  It’s abundant on even the most humble restaurant menus, plentiful in our markets, and many different swimming critters even live in our nearby waters.  It’s easy to forget that “seafood” in many parts of the nation means some awful frozen thing that wasn’t too great to begin with.  However, we are blessed.

Finger Limes — Citrus Caviar

Until recently, I’d only read about finger limes and definitely wanted to try this hard-to-find, exotic citrus variety.  Called “citrus caviar,” these limes diverge from their citrus brethren by containing little juice vesticles that do, indeed, look and behave like caviar, popping in your mouth and releasing a lovely, limey, tart flavor.   They’re like a natural take on molecular gastronomy and inspire lots of recipe experiments.

Recipe: Grilled Oysters with Creme Fraiche and Tarragon

I’m a latecomer when it comes to oysters.   I assumed they were all salty and slimy — as my samples had been — and I didn’t understand the appeal.  Oysters ordinaire are like that, but some of the complex, luscious West Coast oysters like Kumamotos and in particular, the Sweetwaters grown by the Hog Island Oyster Company in Tomales Bay (a worthy weekend trip, most definitely), made me a believer.

Forager Recipes

Wild boar raviolo served at San Francisco’s Wild Kitchen dinners are one example of the delicious dishes that are being made with foraged ingredients.

(These recipes were published in the San Jose Mercury News and its sister papers on November 17, 2011.)

(Recipe) So Fast, So Yummy: Curried Fish from Alain Ducasse

It all started with a little leftover cream.  This isn’t an often-used ingredient in my fat-conscious household but I had some remaining after making my go-to bittersweet chocolate tart for a dinner party and I love to make up recipes from leftovers.  Serendipitously, I was thumbing through one of my food magazines and couldn’t pass up a streamlined version of an Alain Ducasse recipe that called for precisely the same amount of leftover cream heading toward oblivion in the trusty fridge.

Recipe: Hamachi Crudo with Nuoc Cham and Pomegranate Seeds

This subtly delicious crudo recipe is as delectable as it is easy to make

Last New Year’s Eve, we dined at Tamarine in Palo Alto, which is just a few blocks from our house.  Currently the city’s best restaurant, nouvelle Vietnamese Tamarine is just plain wonderful, as was our meal to usher in the ‘aughts.  But most wonderful was the divine crudo starter, which combined lightness, flavor and subtlety with plate appeal in spades.   It was just so good that I vowed to develop a recipe so I could make it at home.  This turned out to be a relatively easy task. The proportions below of sauce to fish aren’t perfect but it doesn’t matter because the sauce can be used with other dishes — say, with light spring rolls.  I didn’t include quantities of fish; buy the amount needed for the number of eaters and their degree of enthusiasm for crudo.