Smoked Salmon Tartare
with Poached Egg and Lemon Crème Fraiche
Smoked Salmon Tartare
with Poached Egg and Lemon Crème Fraiche
Walking the streets of the Côte d’Azur in the summertime, you can’t help but see Tartare de Saumon on nearly every restaurant menu. This modern classic is incredibly simple to make, but it requires that je ne sais quoi to make it truly outstanding. To my surprise, I found that “quoi” one Monday afternoon in a little town west of Cannes known for its Roman ruins called Fréjus. (FYI, there is really nothing to do in Fréjus on a Monday afternoon, since all sites, museums and markets are closed.) My good friend, Nicole, and I discovered this the hard way and after numerous failed attempts to absorb the culture of this town, we ended up doing it the easy way at a little restaurant near the town square. Their Tartare de Saumon a la Ciboulette et Oeuf Poché was an inspiration, and the poached egg really adds the love that completes the dish. Merci, Fréjus!!
Difficulty:
Prep Time: 40 minutes
Cooking Time: 10 minutes
Serves 4 people
Ingredients:
1 lb. Fresh Salmon, diced ¼”
4 oz. Smoked Salmon (optional), diced small
¼ c. Lemon EVO
2 ea. Green onions, white part only, sliced very thin
2-3 Red Radishes, med-size, finely diced
¾ ea. Lemon, zested (¼ for crème fraiche)
1 Tbsp. Dill, chopped fine (save 1 tsp. for crème fraiche)
5-6 drops Tabasco
¼ c. Crème Fraiche
2 tsp. Lemon juice
1 tsp. White Vinegar (or white wine vinegar)
4 ea. Eggs, cold and fresh
Sea Salt & White Pepper or Esplette
½ recipe Crostini
Technique:
•Prepare Crostini as directed. (2 per person)
• Rinse well chilled salmon in cold water, pat dry & make sure there are no pin-bones left in the fillet. (remove with tweezers) Dice fish into ¼” cubes; season with ¼ tsp. fine sea salt and mix.
•Mix with smoked salmon and Lemon EVO.
•Add green onions, radishes, herbs, Tabasco, half the lemon zest, and 1 tsp. lemon juice. Season with white pepper or esplette.
* The mixture will taste a bit salty at first but when it is time to serve, it will have absorbed into the fish and may require more fleur de sel.
•Mold tartare into desired shape so it is ready to serve as soon as you finish the eggs. Keep cold.
•In a small bowl, gently whisk crème fraiche with 1 drop Tabasco, ¼ lemon zested, salt & pepper to taste. Don’t whisk too hard or it will become too thick. Gradually stir in 1 tsp. lemon juice and keep cold.
•Bring a large pot of water to 160°F (steaming but not simmering). Add 1 tsp. salt and white vinegar.
•Plate-up: Use a flat spatula to plate the molded tartare, top with two croutons, a poached egg and a sprig of dill. Season the egg with a pinch of fleur de sel and white pepper or esplette. Put two or three 1” drops of crème fraiche around the tartare the run your spoon through them in the same direction.
Saturday, Dec 10, 2011