Tartare of Norwegian Salmon, crushed avocado with dill, heirloom radish and soy ginger emulsion

by cluster executive chef Roxanne Castillo from Hilton Ha Noi Opera and Hilton Garden Inn Ha Noi

It might sound like an empty cliché to say: “A salad is not a meal, it’s a lifestyle.” But salad is nearly always welcome these days, when the summer is at its peak. Cool yourself down and tickle your taste buds with our divine appetizer, made with tartare of Norwegian salmon, crushed avocado with dill, heirloom radish and soy ginger emulsion.

Ingredients: serves 10

For salmon gravlax:

1kg Norwegian salmon fillet

250g brown sugar

250g rock sea salt

15g white pepper

1 cup dill

For crushed avocado:

500g avocado, ripe

250g cucumber, peeled, diced

2.5 tsp lime

2.5 tsp dill, chopped 

5 tsp extra virgin olive oil

Sea salt and white pepper to taste

For soy ginger emulsion:

60g Japanese soya sauce

30g rice wine vinegar

1 cup olive oil

1 tsp sesame oil

Chef Roxanne Castillo

Method:

- Combine white pepper with salt, sugar and dill. Place 2 large pieces of cling wrap on a work surface, slightly overlapping. Spread half the salt mixture in the shape of the salmon.

- Place salmon on salt, skin side down. Top with remaining salt mixture.

- Wrap with cling wrap. Place in a large dish. Top with something flat (like small cutting board) and then some weights (3 x 400g / 14oz cans).

- Refrigerate for 12 hours. There will be liquid in the dish. Turn salmon over, then replace weights and return to fridge. After another 12 hours, turn salmon over again, replace weights. After another 12 hours, remove salmon from fridge. This recipe calls for 36 hours total for medium cure.

- Unwrap salmon, scrape off salt and then rinse. Pat dry. Then dice for tartare.

- Combine avocado and cucumber in a bowl, toss together with lime and extra virgin olive oil, season to taste.

- In a separate bowl, mix soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, olive oil and sesame oil. Season with pepper.

To assemble:

- Using a mold, spoon in avocado mixture, topped with salmon tartare, scaled with red radish salad and drizzle with soy ginger emulsion and olive oil. Garnish with edible flower.

You can sample this appetizer at Ba Miền restaurant, R Floor, Hilton Hà Nội Opera, 1 Lê Thánh Tông St, Hoàn Kiếm Dist, Hà Nội. Tel: +84 (0) 24 3933 05 00, ext. 1656.