Serves 4
Salmon
7 ounces boneless, skinless fresh salmon fillets
Freshly ground black pepper
Paper-Thin Salad
2 baby carrots
2 baby green zucchini
2 baby yellow zucchini
2 baby turnips
4 red radishes
2 bowlfuls of ice water
2 baby beets
Jalapeño Dressing
2 teaspoons chopped jalapeño chili
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon chopped garlic
6 ½ tablespoons rice vinegar
½ cup grapeseed oil
Directions for Salmon
Heat a nonstick skillet to medium heat. Season salmon fillets with black pepper, and then sear them for 5 seconds on each side. Make sure the outside is completely seared and turns white. Immediately plunge them into ice water to stop the cooking process. Drain and pat dry with paper towels, then refrigerate.
Directions for Paper-Thin Salad
To prepare the salad, slice baby vegetables, except the beets, lengthwise very thinly (about 1/32-inch thick) on a mandolin grater over a bowl of ice water. Leave them in the ice water for 1 hour, so the vegetables shrink and become crunchy. Repeat the process with beets, but place slices in a separate bowl of water, to stop the color from running onto the other vegetables. Rinse until the water is clear; then add some ice to chill. Note: You might want to wear disposable gloves to prevent staining your hands.
Drain baby vegetables and beets separately, and then mix them together. Pour some of the dressing on a serving dish, so it completely covers the bottom. Cut chilled seared salmon into slices about ½-inch thick, and arrange across the middle of the plate, then place vegetable salad in the middle on top of the salmon.
Directions for Jalapeño Dressing
In a food processor, mix chili, salt, garlic, and vinegar well, until chili is finely chopped. Slowly add grapeseed oil and process until blended.
Chef’s note: Using paper-thin slices of baby vegetables instead of lettuce gives this dish an interesting twist. The vegetables are first plunged into ice-cold water to give them a crunchy texture that contrasts nicely with the seared salmon sashimi. Garnish with spinach leaves.