Fresh, clean and healthy, the flavours of raw fish are not to be missed.
Thanks to Japanese cuisine, in particular sashimi, eating raw fish has become more acceptable to us all. From paper-thin carpaccio of tuna, to chopped tartares of salmon, raw fish features on menus everywhere. It’s clean, fresh, healthy and pure and does not need many other flavours to enhance it. Freshness is key to eating raw fish, so take the time to seek out the best quality.
I like to serve a large platter of thinly sliced raw fish drizzled with this dressing, placing it on the table for my guests to help themselves. The dressing, which lasts for months in the refrigerator, is perfect to leave at the bach or on the boat for when you next catch a fish. I keep some near as I work and dip off-cuts of fish, oysters or scallops into it as tasty treats. It also works well with grilled lamb or beef.
Fish with sashimi dressing and cherry tomato salad
175g onion, chopped finely
125ml soy sauce
115ml rice wine vinegar
100ml water
½ tsp sugar
1 tbsp dry mustard powder
freshly ground black pepper
50ml grapeseed oil
50ml sesame oil
Combine the onion, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, water and sugar together and stir until the sugar has dissolved. Whisk in the remaining ingredients and strain the dressing, discarding the onions. Keep it in the refrigerator and before using allow it to come back to room temperature and then give it a good shake.
For the fish
120g fresh salmon fillets, skinned
and boned
120g fresh white fish fillets, such as groper,
snapper or blue cod
120g fresh tuna or kingfish fillets
Slice the fillets thinly into 3mm pieces, on a slight bias across the grain. You may need to cut the salmon and tuna in half lengthways before you do this. Arrange the fish on a platter, alternating the colours. You can marinate the fish in the dressing for 30 minutes, or simply pour it over just before serving, or even place the dressing on the side in a dish, for dipping slices of fish into it.
Serves 4.
Cherry Tomato Salad
1 punnet of halved cherry tomatoes
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp sesame oil
1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
1 tsp sugar
salt and freshly ground black pepper
fresh herbs to garnish, such as tarragon,
chervil or parsley
In a small bowl combine all the ingredients together and season to taste. Arrange the tomato salad on the fish and scatter the fresh herbs over the top. Serves 4.
MANY CULTURES have a version of ceviche, which is essentially raw fish “cooked” in an acid; in this case lime juice. Don’t leave it in the marinade too long or it will be “overcooked” and taste awful. You can always add some chillies to the marinade if you want a little heat.
Serves 4.
Ceviche with pickled rock melon and pinenut vinaigrette
450g fillets of fish such as blue cod or
snapper, skinned and boned
juice of 2 limes
1 small red onion, finely chopped
1 tbsp chives, finely chopped
1 tbsp coriander leaves, finely chopped
Slice the fish thinly into 5mm pieces and mix together with the lime juice, onion, coriander and chives. Marinate for no more than 45 minutes. Serves 4.
Pickled rock melon
½ rock melon, peeled and seeded
3 tbsp white wine vinegar
2 tbsp sugar
Place the melon cut side down on your chopping board and slice it into 3mm half-moon shapes. Place these into a deep container. In a small saucepan bring the vinegar and sugar to a lazy simmer and cook for 2 minutes, until the sugar is dissolved. Remove from the heat and cool. Pour the syrup over the melon 30 minutes before using.
Pinenut vinaigrette
1 red capsicum, finely chopped
1 small cucumber, peeled and finely sliced
1 small red onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 tsp Dijon mustard
3 tbsp pinenuts, lightly toasted
1 orange, zest and juice
2 tbsp olive oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper
In a small bowl combine the capsicum, cucumber, red onion, garlic and mustard. Stir in the pinenuts with the orange zest and juice and whisk in the olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.
Place a pile of marinated fish in the centre of a plate and arrange the pickled melon on it. Drizzle the pinenut vinaigrette over the fish and serve.
THIS IS A VARIATION on the classic gravlax, but much cleaner and more refreshing. It will keep for 6 days refrigerated, and is exquisite sliced and served on toasted wholegrain bread as a quick snack. Served with the radish salad, it is pure summer.
Citrus-cured salmon, radish, fennel and cucumber salad
1 lemon, zest only
1 lime, zest only
1 orange, zest only
4 tbsp sugar
4 tbsp salt
30ml vodka
450g fillet of salmon, skinned and boned
Combine the zests to form a smooth paste. Separately mix the sugar and salt together. In a deep dish sprinkle half the sugar and salt mix. Rub the vodka into one side of the salmon and spread with half the zest mixture. Place the salmon zest side down on the sugar and salt. Sprinkle the remaining sugar and salt on the upper side and rub in the remaining zest. Cover with cling film and refrigerate for 12 hours before turning it and refrigerating for a further 12 hours. Remove the salmon from the marinade and brush clean. Pat it dry with absorbent paper, and slice into 3mm thin pieces. Serves 4.
Radish, fennel and cucumber salad
2 medium fennel bulbs, washed, trimmed
and sliced thinly
4 radishes, washed and sliced thinly
1 small cucumber, seeded and sliced thinly
salt and freshly ground black pepper
juice of 1 lemon
3 tbsp olive oil
Put the fennel, radish and cucumber in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper, add the lemon juice and olive oil. Mix thoroughly and leave for 5 minutes before serving alongside the sliced salmon.