Salmon is one of those fishes I almost never order at restaurants. I don’t like when it is overcooked, and truthfully, prefer it in it’s raw form as sashimi or tartare or carapaccio or cured as a gravlax.

 

While in Boston, I was wined and dined at the South End’s finest.  One of those places was Stella’s. I tried a crudo misto of salmon, not really knowing what I was ordering.  But I know crudo means raw. It was a delicious surprise.  Misto, is not as easily translated but I think it means mixture or mixed.  I was thinking of where else I had seen that word, fritto misto, fried mix of veggies…I seem to always be able to decipher a menu in any country I visit based on the knowledge of a few, basic food terms and their latin roots.  

 

It was a lemony dish of thinly sliced salmon, something I couldn’t wait to attempt to make on my own. I googled it and was surprised that the review of Stella’s was the first entry.  It sounds so Italian yet not a single Batali joint has it on their menu? No Epicurious recipe entry? Shocking.

 

 

Here’s an excerpt from a review of Stella’s, I found online on from the Boston Globe that gives a good description of what the dish pictured in the above photo:  ”Crudo misto, the Italian version of sashimi, consists of pristine curls of tuna and salmon under a tart limoncello vinaigrette with a salt-sprinkled bread stick to offset the citrus flavors.”

Coincidentally, the July 2008 issue of Food and Wine just came in the mail with some fabulous summer recipes. Chef Tim Cushman has a recipe for Salmon Sashimi with Ginger and Hot Sesame Oil. Since I was already laying out a platter of thinly sliced fresh salmon, I was torn as to which recipe to make.  It was a tie. I almost titled the article, ‘Salmon Yin Yang, but then that would be all Asian. I was happy with both flavors, but of course, leaned towards the one with Asian flair. Maybe it was the lack of a salty breadstick which I thought I made up for with the crusty baguette and finishing the Italian side of the plate with fleur de sel but it lacked the flavor depth of the Asian version. 

 

Since I didn’t  have any limoncello, a lemon Sicilian liqueur, which is how this is traditionally made, I had to make do without. If you really want to go crazy, here’s a recipe I found on recipezaar, to make your own moonshine. I will hunt some down at my neighborhood booze bin.

 

 

Crudo Misto:

Serves 6-8 as a starter.

 

1/2 lb salmon fillet 

1/2 baguette for toast

 

Lemon or Limoncello Vinaigrette:

1/4 c limoncello

2 tsp lemon juice (make it 4 tsp if not using limoncello)

1 tsp lemon zest-  microplanes are the best gadget for this

1 tsp dijon mustard

1/2 c olive oil

 

To taste:

red pepper flake (optional)

fresh ground pepper

kosher salt

 

In a small bowl, whisk together the first 4 ingredients then slowly add the oil and seasonings. And done.

 

Soy Ginger Vinaigrette:

Inspired but greatly simplified from the one in FW 07/08

 

use about 1/2 of the above vinaigrette

Whisk in the following ingredients:

1 tbs soy sauce

2 tsp sesame oil

1/4 inch of ginger sliced into tiny slivers

1 sprig of green onion, sliced or a few sprigs of chive.

cilantro sprigs

1 tsp toasted sesame (optional)

 

For the Salmon:

 

Rinse and pat dry with paper towels. Slice the salmon diagonally, across the grain. Make sure to remove the greyish pink part near the skin. This part of the fish can change the flavor of the fish. 

 

Place the pieces on a single layer or fanned out on a large platter.

 

Just before serving, dress the salmon with the vinaigrette. Half the platter with the lemon vinaigrette and half with the soy vinaigrette. Then garnish.

 

 

 

Garnish Ideas:

Italian Side: I finished with fleur de sel and freshly ground pepper. Any sea salt would be nice. some lemon slices would be good as well.

 

Asian Side: Garnish with thinly sliced chive or green onion and/or sprigs of cilantro. Slices of fresh serrano peppers would be good to add some heat. Anything bright green complements the orange color of the salmon.  

 

Finish the entire dish with freshly ground black pepper.

Serve with flat bread crackers or baguette toasts.

 

 

A great summertime dish I tried out today so I can make it for a grill party as a refreshing starter. I would make this dish again, even the Italian version. It all depends on what it’s being served with. It’s beautiful in color and impressive, simple to make and incredibly flavorful.