Maine Scallop Crudo

Maine Scallop Crudo

🌊 Maine Scallop Crudo 🌊
Maine Dulse Seaweed, Kumquat, Radish, Jalapeño, Lemon Ponzu, Cilantro

Maine’s long coastline and clean, cold waters inspired this dish featuring raw, buttery, day-boat Sea Scallops with their slightly sweet flavors; and Dulse (Palmaria palmata) a beautiful red seaweed that has a rich, meaty, umami flavor.

Crunchy peppery radish balance the tender scallop slices, jalapeños add vegetal spiciness, and seasonal kumquats add sweet tart notes. Lemon ponzu provides a base of sweet, sour, and salty flavors, where the olive oil adds a subtle richness.

When they’re raw, dulse flakes taste like briny ocean waters, but when sautéed, the smoky and savory characteristics emerge, giving dulse the nickname “bacon of the sea,” which pairs perfectly with this coastal crudo.

Lastly, a little mound of cilantro leaves brings the bright herbal notes, a sashimi style learned from Chef Nobu.

Maine Scallop Crudo

Maine Scallop Crudo Recipe

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Parisian Tuna Tartare

Parisian Tuna Tartare

Albacore Tuna Tartare in the “French Steak” Style

By many accounts, Restaurant Le Duc was the first in Paris to serve Nouvelle raw fish beginning around 1975, including salmon tartare and tuna tartare. In 1984 at Chaya Brasserie in Beverly Hills, Chef Shigefumi Tachibe put tuna tartare on the map. But STEAK tartare appeared in bistros long before, as early as the late 19th century in France.

This Parisian version of tuna tartare has none of the current popular ingredients – no avocado, no sesame oil, no ginger, no soy sauce. It is prepared in the old style of French Steak Tartare with classic components including onion, capers, pickles, and egg.

The sauce is a combination of mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, and Worcestershire sauce. Instead of the standard raw egg yolk, a hard boiled egg yolk is pressed through a course mesh sieve to make a rich fluffy addition to the condiments.

Sushi-quality raw albacore tuna has a soft, buttery texture and mild flavor. The meat of albacore tuna species is white or pale pink in color. Albacore is simply lovely in this Parisian style first course, which is equally stellar as a happy hour appetizer with a glass of Rosé…

Parisian Tuna Tartare

Parisian Tuna Tartare Recipe

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Citrus Salmon Crudo à la Mayfair Supper Club

Citrus Salmon Crudo à la Mayfair Supper Club

Citrus Salmon Crudo
(Orange-Lime-Lemon Emulsion, Yuzu Kosho)

Citrus Salmon à la Mayfair Supper Club

Dinner at Mayfair Supper Club Las Vegas

A couple of years ago we had a wonderful dining experience at the Mayfair Supper Club at the Bellagio in Las Vegas. Fine food and wines, impeccable service, and mesmerizing entertainment made for a most memorable evening. Totally enamored by their Heirloom Tomato Salad, I re-created it here.

Well… we recently returned to celebrate my sister’s birthday. And the Mayfair Supper Club again did not disappoint with its glitz and glamour and old-school clubby ambiance.

Citrus Salmon à la Mayfair Supper Club

Citrus Salmon Crudo à la Mayfair Supper ClubCitrus Salmon Crudo à la Mayfair Supper Club

Our Mayfair Supper Club Meal

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Salmon Crudo, Blackberry Ponzu

Salmon Crudo, Blackberry Ponzu

Salmon Crudo, Blackberry Ponzu

You might have noticed that we are making our fair share of raw salmon dishes here. In my search for an interesting pairing with salmon, I came across quite a few sites from the Pacific Northwest where local salmon was paired with local blackberries.

Usually referring to a wine and food pairing, the saying goes “what grows together goes together.” Roughly speaking, the idea is that local wine and local foods complement each other. Seems to work very well for this land & sea pairing as well.

Ponzu sauce (ponzu shoyu) is a Japanese condiment commonly made with citrus, soy sauce, mirin, and dashi. Here, blackberries add a tart fruitiness and a striking color purple.

The sushi-quality raw salmon slices are steeped in blackberry ponzu for just 5 to 10 minutes to infuse the flavors. Crunchy cucumber, peppery radish, spicy jalapeño, and buttery-nutty pine nuts add pizzazz to this appealing crudo dish. Togarashi, a Japanese spicy seasoning made with ground nori, sea salt, various chili powders, orange peel, and sesame seeds adds complexity and the finishing touch.

Salmon Crudo, Blackberry Ponzu Recipe

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Salmon Crudo, Lemon Orange Emulsion

Salmon Crudo - Lemon Orange Emulsion

Salmon Crudo, Lemon Orange Emulsion
Radish, Jalapeño, Red Onion, Marcona Almonds

If you are loving raw fish like we are here, definitely put Sashimi-Quality Sockeye Salmon on your list.

The more raw salmon I prepare and serve, the more I prefer the Sockeye species. There are five species of Pacific salmon that can be found in North American waters – king aka chinook, sockeye aka red, coho aka silver, keta aka chum, and pink aka humpback.

Sockeye salmon have a beautiful bright red flesh that is bold and intense and flavorful. Its dense, meaty texture facilitates the cutting of lovely raw thin slices. The leaner flesh of sockeye balances and harmonizes with rich citrusy olive oil emulsions. Sockeye + Crudo = A Winning Combination!

Sockeye Salmon Crudo Recipe

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