Salmon Tartare

Serve salmon tartare as an elegant appetizer or first course. Have the tartare take center stage on an oversized plate with an artful flourish of paper-thin cucumber slices strewn about. A drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil, a scattering of minced chives, and a dusting of fleur de sel make this a showstopper for a sophisticated dinner party, perfect for a New Year’s Eve party.

Buy your salmon from a reputable fishmonger, making sure it is very fresh. In fact, the best kind of salmon to use for curing or eating raw is salmon that has been flash-frozen at sea. The freshly caught salmon is put on ice immediately and then sold to a “floating processor” vessel at sea, where the fish is gutted and flash-frozen. Any parasites in the flesh of the fish are killed when the fish is frozen just below 0°F for seven days.

SERVES 6 AS AN APPETIZER

• 1 center-cut salmon fillet (8 ounces), skin and pin bones removed
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh chives, plus more for garnish
• 1 tablespoon minced shallots
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1½ teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
• ¾ teaspoon kosher or sea salt
• Pinch or 2 of freshly ground white pepper
• 1 English cucumber
• Fleur de sel for sprinkling (see Cook’s Note)

Using a very sharp knife, cut the salmon into y4-inch dice. (Do not use a food processor, as it damages the texture of the fish, making it coarse and mushy.) Place the salmon in a medium bowl. Gently fold in the 1 tablespoon chives, the shallots, parsley, and lemon juice. Stir in the 1 tablespoon olive oil and add the salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 8 hours. Remove from the refrigerator 20 minutes before serving.

Cut the cucumber in half crosswise. Cut each half into long, paper-thin slices. Set aside on a plate, covered, until ready to serve.

To assemble, using 6 large salad or dinner plates, scatter several slices of cucumber around each plate in a random, artful way. Leave the center of each plate open. Spoon approximately ¼ cup tartare into a mound in the center of each plate. Drizzle olive oil over the cucumber slices, garnish with chives, and sprinkle with a bit of fleur de sel. Serve immediately.

COOK’S NOTE

Fleur de sel is an aromatic salt that has been evaporated from seawater. It has large flaky crystals and a pure briny flavor and aroma.