from Island Eats
At Ocean7 Restaurant, executive chef Richard Benson makes the most of fresh local seafood, enhancing wild Pacific salmon with the piquant flavours of citrus, avocado, pickled red onion, radish, salmon roe and fresh herbs. Thanks 94 Kingfisher Oceanside Resort & Spa! https://kingfisherresort.ca/
Ingredients
Pickled red onions
2 red onions, thinly sliced (preferably with a mandoline)
4 cups organic apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup sugar, plus extra depending on desired sweetness
6 black peppercorns
4 bay leaves
3 to 4 sprigs thyme
1 Tbsp coriander seeds
1 Tbsp fennel seeds
1/2 tsp yellow mustard seeds
Salt, to taste
Salmon crudo
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp orange juice
1 Tbsp grapefruit juice
5 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 (1-lb) sushi-grade wild Pacific salmon fillet
Assembly
1 ripe avocado
6 radishes, thinly sliced and chilled in cold water
Black pepper and coarse sea salt, to taste
2 Tbsp chopped dill
2 Tbsp chopped Italian parsley
1 to 2 oz salmon roe
Directions
Pickled red onions: Place onions into a non-reactive (glass or plastic) container and set aside. Combine remaining ingredients in a large saucepan and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and let steep for 1 hour. Strain liquid through a fine-mesh sieve over onions. Refrigerate until needed. (Pickled onions can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.)
Salmon crudo: In a small bowl, whisk together lemon, orange and grapefruit juices. Whisk in oil. Place salmon on a clean cutting board. Using a very sharp knife, thinly slice salmon against the grain and off the skin. Place slices into a glass baking dish. Cover with plastic wrap directly on the slices. Using a flat dish, press down on the salmon pieces until they are flattened and spread out as a very thin layer. Remove plastic and pour in citrus mixture. Refrigerate for 15 minutes.
Assemble: Pit avocado and thinly slice. Drain radishes. Evenly distribute salmon on 4 plates. Drizzle leftover liquid overtop, then season with salt and pepper. Artfully top salmon with avocado, radishes, pickled red onions, dill, parsley and salmon roe. Serve immediately.
Note: Unlike canning, which creates an environment where micro-organisms cannot grow, quick pickling is a shortterm preservation process. Quick pickles must be refrigerated and consumed within a few weeks, and no more than 2 weeks for onions, garlic or mushrooms, which are especially susceptible to foodborne illnesses.
Nada’s Tips & Tricks: Paired with a crusty piece of bread, this is the perfect summer lunch or a precursor to the heavier main meal. Refreshingly delightful!
Excerpted from Island Eats:Signature Chefs’ Recipes from Vancouver Island and the Salish Sea by Dawn Postnikoff and Joanne Sasvari. Photographs by Gabriel Cabrera and Danika McDowell. Recipes copyright © 2021 by individual restaurants. Excerpted with permission from Figure 1 Publishing. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher. https://www.figure1publishing.com/book/island-eats/
