Easy Salmon Tartare

Each bite of Dorie Greenspan’s Easy Salmon Tartare was heavenly. Raw salmon cubes, avocados, and grape tomatoes were dressed with lime juice, zest, and olive oil for a sublime starter.

This recipe for Salmon Tartar is gourmet and elegant. It’s perfect when entertaining the gourmands in your life!

Why You Must Make

• This recipe comes from cookbook guru, Dorie Greenspan.
• If you love sushi, you’ll be thrilled with this easy, delicious recipe.
• Served in clear glasses, this spicy salmon tartare makes a gorgeous presentation!

Thank goodness for my French Fridays group. Without Dorie’s cookbook and our weekly recipes, I’d never get the opportunity to make dishes like Tuna and Mango Ceviche, Gravlax and this Salmon Tartare.

I’ve finally gotten Bill to eat and enjoy salmon—with one stipulation. It must be cooked. I take that back. He’s a huge fan of gravlax—but I’m not sure he even knows he’s eating raw salmon. At least I wasn’t the one to break that to him as he went back for seconds and thirds. But chunks of salmon and avocado apparently don’t have the same appeal.

Ingredient Notes

• Kitchen Staples  – Salt, Pepper, Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Limes – To get the most juice, roll them on the counter, pressing down with the palm of your hand to help break the citrus fibers.
• Salmon Fillet – Good quality, a thick piece without skin
• Scallions – Quartered lengthwise and thinly sliced
• Chives – Minced
• Fresh Mint – Minced, but save some sprigs to garnish if desired
• Tabasco – To taste. You can add just a few drops or make it as spicy as you want.
• Grape or Cherry Tomatoes – Cut so they are bite-sized
• Avocados – Should be ripe, but not too soft or they’ll be too hard to make nice cubes.
• Pistachio Oil – Adds a rich, nutty flavor. A gourmet finishing touch, but it is optional as this dish will still be delicious without it.

How to Make

• The components of this salmon tartare recipe were not exotic by any means. I did purchase the freshest salmon I could find since it wouldn’t be cooked, but the avocados, scallions, mint, chives, grape tomatoes, etc. were all common grocery store ingredients.
• The instructions and number of bowls needed made this a little more complicated. The salmon was seasoned with herbs, scallions, olive oil, and Tabasco, but the lime was withheld till closer to serving time.
• The tomatoes were sliced in thirds and dressed with olive oil and herbs, but salting was delayed to avoid pulling out excess juices. The avocados were gently tossed with lime juice, herbs, and Tabasco.
• Next, these mixtures were layered into rings or plastic-wrapped lined ramekins or just into glass dishes. Salmon was the base, followed by the avocados, then topped with tomato slices.
• This easy, elegant salmon appetizer would make a gorgeous presentation for guests—but my family doesn’t seem to notice such things. So it was a very elegant dinner for me and lunch the next day. My leftover salmon did not get over “cooked” and mushy from the citrus, but the color wasn’t as appealing after sitting in the fridge overnight. Another winner from Dorie!

Recipe Tips

The recipe can also be found in Dorie Greenspan’s magnificent cookbook, (affiliate link) Around My French Table. 

• Since you will be eating this salmon uncooked, use the best quality you can find from a quality fishmonger.
• The salmon you purchase should be on ice and not smell overly fishy.
• As Dorie directs, the avocado is tossed in lime juice to prevent oxidation, or browning, to occur.
• The lime juice can also “cook” the salmon or change its appearance, though not really cook it. The texture can change from firm to mushy if not eaten soon after it’s made. I did not find the
  leftovers unappealing, but if making this for company, make this salmon tartare on the day you serve it.
• I like serving in glasses so the beautiful, vibrant colors are visible.
• Alternatively, use metal or PVC rings or ramekins to use as molds, and remove them just before serving.

Frequently Asked Questions

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The Recipe:

Simple Salmon Tartare

Prep Time 15 minutes

Total Time 15 minutes

Yield 4

A restaurant-quality appetizer you can make in your own kitchen.

Ingredients

• 2 limes
• 1 pound salmon fillet, a good quality, thick piece without skin
• 2 scallions, quartered lengthwise and thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons minced chives
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh mint
• 4 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• Tabasco, to taste
• 20 grape or cherry tomatoes
• 2 avocados
• Pistachio oil

Instructions

1. Zest one of the limes and set zest aside. Then peel the limes, remove the white pith, and remove segments with a sharp knife, over a bowl to catch the juices.
2. Cut the salmon into 1/2-inch slices and add to the lime juice. Add scallions, 2 teaspoons of the chives, 1 teaspoon of the mint, and 2 teaspoons of olive oil. Season with salt, pepper, and Tabasco. Cover and refrigerate.
3. Slice the tomatoes and add to a bowl. Add 2 teaspoons of the chives, 1 teaspoon of the mint, and 2 teaspoons olive oil. Toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper close to the time of assembly.
4. Right before serving, slice avocados in half, remove pits and peel and cut into 1/2-inch cubes. Add to a bowl and add the remaining zest, and squeeze some of the juice from the remaining lime over the avocados. Add the remaining 2 teaspoons of chives and 1 teaspoon of mint. Add a shake of Tabasco and season with salt and pepper.
5. Gently mix the lime segments into the salmon and add lime juice to taste. Taste the salmon and add more lime or seasonings if needed.
6. Using four 4-inch diameter rings or 1 cup capacity ramekins or glass serving dishes, layer a quarter of the avocados in each, followed by the salmon, then the tomatoes. (affiliate links).
7. To finish, drizzle each with a few drops of pistachio oil.
8. To serve, remove the rings. If you'd like to make these without a container, but you don't own any rings, line your ramekins with plastic wrap and reverse the order of layering. Place a small plate over the top of the ramekin and flip the contents onto the plate. Voila!

Notes

Adapted from Around My French Table.

This salmon is served raw, so use caution and don't serve to the very young, very old, or those who are immune compromised.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

4

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 497Total Fat: 37gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 29gCholesterol: 71mgSodium: 185mgCarbohydrates: 18gFiber: 8gSugar: 5gProtein: 28g

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