Meet the food that brings us to lust
With this steaming hot weather in the middle of March, I've got Dr Seuss on the brain. Now few foods in our home are more coveted than salmon. And therefore seeing a slab of Atlantic salmon in the grocery cart is looked at with much glee and anticipation - this applies to the kids as well. And since we are all nutters over sushi, to actually cook the salmon is in hubby's words is - blasphemy!
And therefore ceviche is generally the treatment of choice. The joke of the matter is that I hardly ever fix traditional ceviche - seafood 'chemically cooked' in lemon juice. Instead I am always playing around and dabbling with a variety of flavors & sauces to create a sort of reinvented 'ceviche'. Ceviche purists, I apologize.
Do you remember a while back when we made that lovely Asian salmon ceviche salad? Same ingredient, different treatment.
This one I must say goes down smooth - spicy salmon with creamy cucumber & radish guacamole is simply heavenly. The speed at which my kids shovel down these lovelies should give even those wary of raw seafood eating, a boost!
Gather the ingredients : Salmon Ceviche ~
1 lb fresh skinless Atlantic salmon, 2 tbs Sriracha chilli sauce, 1/2 tbs Mirin cooking rice wine, 2 tbs Ponzu (Japanese soy sauce), 1 tsp sugar, 1-1/2 tbs sesame oil
Garden Guacamole ~ 1/4 lemon - juiced, 1 ripe large avocado, 1 green onion, 1 red radish, 1/4 cucumber, 1/4 tsp sea salt, Radish sprouts - 1/4 cup
Also required are tall molds or a tomato paste can, washed with both ends discarded (so you are left with a hollow pipe)
Chill the salmon for 15 minutes in the freezer. Meanwhile prepare the ceviche sauce.
- Ceviche sauce ~ In a large bowl combine the sauce ingredients. Whisk to combine. Taste and adjust seasonings.
- Salmon Ceviche - Remove and halve lengthwise along the dent line. Cut each half cross-wise into 1/4" thick slices. Proceed to chop into 1/4" thick dices. Smaller diced the better. Add the diced salmon into the ceviche sauce and stir to combine. Cover the bowl with a plastic cling wrap and refrigerate for 45 minutes.
Guacamole -Prepare the ingredients:
- Lemon - Juice the lemon & set aside.
- Avocado - Halve the avocado, discard the seed. Slash a grid into each half cutting through the flesh but not the skin. Scoop the avocado into a small mixing bowl.
- Green onion - Cut off the root tip & discard. Finely cut into circles including the green leaves.
- Radish - Cut ends and discard. Slice lengthwise and then finely chop. Set aside.
- Cucumber - Peel and discard ends. Cut a slice and taste to ensure the cucumber is not bitter. Cut lengthwise and then finely chop and set aside.
- Garnish - Finely julienne (thinly slice) a radish and cut radish sprouts to 1" lengths
- To the avocado add the cucumber, green onions and chopped radish. Add salt and lemon juice. With a stainless steel spoon mash together and thorougly combine all the ingredients. Taste and adjust seasonings. Cover the bowl with plastic cling wrap & refrigerate.
Assembly -
- Once the salmon is chilled, set 4 clean white plates on the counter top.
- To plate, place the hollow tomato paste can (or a mold) in the center of the first plate. Spoon 2 tbs salmon into the can. Press down lightly to even the surface. Add 1-1/2 tbs guacamole over the salmon. Repeat with the salmon then the guacamole so you have layers of each, ending with the guacamole.
- Smooth the top of the final layer of guacamole. Add the radish spouts and lightly press so they stick to the guacamole. Top with the radish slices. Gently lift up the can so you are left with the ceviche tower.
- Use a kitchen paper towel and soak up any juices than might have escaped onto the plate.
- Repeat & plate the remaining 3 ceviche towers. You may be left with some leftover salmon that is fantastic just as is - s special treat for the cook!
Serve immediately.
Light, refreshing with a true melody of flavors & textures from spicy, tangy to creamy & smooth with the kick & crunch from the radish & cucumber. I heart this!
Recipe for
Sriracha Salmon Ceviche Towers with Garden Guacamole & Radish Sprouts
Preparation time - 20 minutes
Chilling & Assembly time - 1 hour
Serves 4 (for appetizers)
Salmon Ceviche ~
1 lb fresh skinless Atlantic salmon
2 tbs Sriracha chilli sauce
1/2 tbs Mirin cooking rice wine
2 tbs Ponzu (Japanese soy sauce)
1 tsp sugar
1-1/2 tbs sesame oil
Garden Guacamole~
1/4 lemon - juiced
1 ripe large avocado
1 green onion
1 red radish
1/4 cucumber
1/4 tsp sea salt
Radish sprouts - 1/4 cup
~
A tall mold or a tomato paste can, washed with both ends discarded (so you are left with a hollow pipe)
Preparation -
Salmon - Chill for 15 minutes in the freezer. Meanwhile prepare the ceviche sauce.
Ceviche sauce ~ In a large bowl combine the sauce ingredients. Whisk to combine. Taste and adjust seasonings.
Salmon Ceviche - Remove and halve lengthwise along the dent line. Cut each half cross-wise into 1/4" thick slices. Proceed to chop into 1/4" thick dices. Smaller diced the better. Add the diced salmon into the cceviche sauce and stir to combine. Cover the bowl with a plastic cling wrap and refrigerate for 45 minutes.
Guacamole -
Lemon - Juice the lemon & set aside.
Avocado - Halve the avocado, discard the seed. Slash a grid into each half cutting through the flesh but not the skin. Scoop the avocado into a small mixing bowl.
Green onion - Cut off the root tip & discard. Finely cut into circles including the green leaves.
Radish - Cut ends and discard. Slice lengthwise and then finely chop. Set aside.
Cucumber - Peel and discard ends. Cut a slice and taste to ensure the cucumber is not bitter. Cut lengthwise and then finely chop and set aside.
To the avocado add the cucumber, green onions and chopped radish. Add salt and lemon juice. With a stainless steel spoon mash together and thorougly combine all the ingredients. Taste and adjust seasonings.
Cover the bowl with plastic cling wrap & refrigerate.
Garnish - Finely julienne (thinly slice) a radish and cut radish sprouts to 1" lengths
Assembly -
Once the salmon is chilled, set 4 clean white plates on the counter top.
To plate, place the hollow tomato paste can (or a mold) in the center of the first plate. Spoon 2 tbs salmon into the can. Press down lightly to even the surface. Add 1-1/2 tbs guacamole over the salmon. Repeat with the salmon then the guacamole so you have layers of each, ending with the guacamole.
Smooth the top of the final layer of guacamole. Add the radish spouts and lightly press so they stick to the guacamole. Top with the radish slices. Gently lift up the can so you are left with the ceviche tower.
Use a kitchen paper towel and soak up any juices than might have escaped onto the plate.
Repeat & plate the remaining 3 ceviche towers. You may be left with some leftover salmon that is fantastic just as is - s special treat for the cook!
Serve immediately.