If there are two types of food Angelenos are obsessed with, it’s sushi and anything fusion.
The only thing your date’s gonna think is fishy is why you haven’t asked them over for this dinner sooner.
This salmon tartare is light and fresh, perfect to not weigh you down for any post-dinner “activities.”
I chose salmon as the fish for this dish because I love how the fatty taste pairs with the acidity of the lime and saltiness of the soy sauce. It’s got a great Asian-Latin flavor, coming from a combo of fresh ginger, cilantro, jalapeño and sesame.
What a spread.
Many people fear serving raw fish at home. But save your fear for Halloween festivities. There are plenty of markets throughout LA where you can safely purchase sushi-grade fish (which is the only fish I’d recommend eating raw. Food poisoning doesn’t usually get you the next date).
I find the freshest and best deals on fish at my local Farmer’s Market, but you can also find sushi-grade fish any day of the week.
West Los Angeles: Nijiya Market, Marukai Market, Santa Monica Seafood
San Gabriel: Yama Seafood
Mar Vista: Mitsuwa Marketplace
DTLA: Los Angeles Fish Company, Marukai Market
Glendale: Fish King
Hide your eyes, Nemo. The first cut is the deepest.
At a restaurant, this much raw fish might cost you a pretty penny and look pretty lavish. With a sharp knife, fresh ingredients and a slab of raw fish you chop yourself, this dish is easier to prepare than you’d think. And not as pricey as you’d think either – 8oz of fresh caught fish only cost me about $9 at the Farmer’s Market.
To make it fancy without any fancy new serving ware, I placed a dollop of tartar into two martini glasses and picked up a couple pairs of chopsticks for cheap on Sawtelle.
Served with some hot jasmine rice and a bowl full of light tortilla chips, you’re down to have a swimmingly good time eating this Salmon Tartare. Wash it all down with some sake.
Get fresh with fresh fish. All your fresh ingredients.
Ingredients:
1 8-ounce boneless fresh (not frozen) sushi-grade salmon fillet
1/4 cup diced Persian Cucumber
2 tbsp lime juice
1 tbsp soy sauce
2 green onions, chopped
1 1/2 tsps minced cilantro
2 tsps vegetable oil
1/2 jalapeño, seeded and minced (more if you like it extra spicy!)
1 1/2 tsp minced shallot (looks like if garlic married a red onion)
1 tsp minced peeled fresh ginger
1/2 tsp Asian sesame oil
salt and pepper to taste
Tortilla chips
See, it wasn’t as hard as you thought!
Directions:
Prep Time: About 40 minutes. Start the rice in a rice cooker then get going on the tartare.
OK, so I know I told you to purchase fresh salmon. Now put it in the freezer. Not kidding. This will make it MUCH easier to slice. Trust me. About 20-30 min in the freezer should do.
Slice the skin off the salmon (I pulled and kind of peeled it as I thinly sliced. Be careful, it is a little tricky). Thinly slice the salmon with the grain of the fish into long strips. Thinly chop each strip so you get small cubes of fish. By now, the fish is probably almost totally thawed, but still chilled.
In a medium bowl, add the salmon, cucumber, lime, soy, green onions, cilantro, vegetable oil, jalapeño, shallot, ginger and sesame oil. Toss it up and season with salt, pepper and additional soy sauce to taste.
Refrigerate until ready to serve!
Like this recipe? Share it! Who isn’t starving for a little love and sushi in their life?
