BRIGHT, CITRUS-CURED SEA BASS TARTARE WITH GIN, TURMERIC AND OLIVE OIL.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cure Time: 1 hour
- Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes
- Servings: 2-3
Ingredients
Fish & Cure
- 1 whole sea bass (or 2 very fresh fillets, skin on)
- 2 tbsp fine sea salt
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- Zest of 1 orange
- 1 tbsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped
- 3-4 tbsp gin (Corsican if possible)
Tartare
- 1-2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1-2 tbsp fresh orange juice
- 1 tsp freshly grated turmeric
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Fine sea salt, to taste
Garnish
- 2-3 green onions (young scallions), finely sliced
- 2-3 kumquats, thinly sliced
- Olive oil, for finishing
- Flaky salt, to finish
Instructions
1. Prepare the Fish
- Fillet the sea bass and trim into two clean, skin-on fillets. Remove any pin bones.
2. Cure the Fish (1 hour)
- In a bowl, mix salt, brown sugar, orange zest, and chopped rosemary.
- Lay the fillets on a tray and evenly coat with the cure. Lightly drizzle gin over the top.
- Refrigerate for about 1 hour.
3. Rinse & Clean
- Remove the fillets from the cure. Using your hands, gently scrape off the salt mixture.
- Pour a small amount of gin over the fish to rinse. Pat completely dry with paper towels.
4. Prepare the Tartare
- Remove the skin. Dice the fish into small bite-sized cubes (slightly larger than classic tartare for texture).
5. Season
- In a bowl, gently mix the fish with olive oil, orange juice, grated turmeric, black pepper, and a pinch of salt. Taste and adjust seasoning.
6. Plate
- Spread the tartare flat on a chilled plate.
- Top with sliced green onions and thin kumquat slices.
7. Finish
- Drizzle with olive oil and finish with flaky salt if needed. Serve immediately.
By Laurent Dagenais