Salmon & Avocado Tartare w/ Horseradish Cream & Cilantro Oil


I love a tuna or salmon tartare and any crudo, as long as I know the fish is uber fresh.
I order it any time I see it on a menu.

Thin, delicate slices of fluke or hamachi. Hail to the beautiful ceviche, marinated in citrus with fresh herbs is such a treat, as long as the fish is FRESH.

There is nothing wrong with asking your fish monger what is fresh, and what came in THAT DAY.
I have a good relationship with my guys at my fish market. They only bring out fish from the back and let me select the pieces I want.

Choose fish that has NO odor. The scales should be in tact with bright and shiny color to the skin.

Salmon, as with most fish, should be nice and firm, not mushy. If it's mushy, that means it's on its way out, and pass it by.

Here, I made a delicious, easy salmon tartare at home, mixing some avocado in for color and taste.

I did not really measure anything, so will just tell you how I made it. Use as much or as little as you like.

I made a cilantro oil and a horseradish cream to go with it, and it turned out to be an impressive Saturday night appetizer!


For the Cilantro Oil:

Mince about 2 tbsp of fresh cilantro. Try and make the herbs very small if you can.
Warm 3 tbsp of olive oil in a saucepan, just until hot, not to boil. Pour the warm oil over the herbs and set aside.
If you have leftover oil, use it on a chicken before roasting it, like I did.

For the Horseradish Cream:

3 tbsp sour cream
1 tbsp prepared horseradish
squeeze of a fresh lemon

For the Tartare:

1/2 lb. piece of FRESH salmon, 1" thickness or more
1 large, ripe avocado, skin removed and diced
kosher salt & pepper
juice of a lemon or lime
handful of fresh chopped cilantro
2 tbsp fresh dill, chopped
1 small shallot, minced
1 tbsp olive oil
arugula leaves for garnish

Cut the salmon with a sharp knife into 1/4" chunks. Mix gently with all ingredients except the avocado.

Add in the diced avocado last, so it doesn't fall apart. Gently toss together.

Set a ring mold in the middle of a plate and spoon in the salmon avocado mixture. Pack down with a spoon to form a tight mold.

Place in the fridge until ready to unmold (can be made 3 hours ahead).

Just before serving, remove the ring carefully, making sure the salmon is a nice shape.

Spoon the horseradish cream around the tartare and drizzle w/ the cilantro oil.

Top with arugula leaves or any other micro green you like.


Serve with crackers, tortilla chips or potato chips and enjoy!

Comments

this looks so deliciously tempting
Anonymous said…
Restaurant fancy at home - impressive. I love raw fish too, but lean toward the pristine side of things - Japanese sushi 4 me.
Ciao Chow Linda said…
Gorgeous dish Stacey. this could be on the menu of a high end restaurant.
Beautiful post!!! This looks mouthwatering delicious!