Recipe: Japanese Fluke Crudo

Crudo is a raw fish dish dressed in olive oil, sea salt, and citrus juice.

I just picked out some Japanese Fluke from the Japanese Supermarket. Any fresh sashimi grade fish can be substituted for this recipe.

Using a sashimi/sushi knife is the best way to go with cutting raw fish. If you don't have a sashimi knife, use a fish knife or any knife with an extremely sharp edge with a blade much skinnier than your average chefs knife.

For crudo, the better the olive oil, the better the dish will taste. I use Stonehouse Olive Oil, which is an extremely flavorful olive oil that is much more aromatic than your average olive oil. Use extra virgin at least.

Maldon sea salt is your best bet for the best quality sea salt you can buy. Texturally and flavor wise, its one of the best out there. Using normal sea salt works for this recipe as well, but once again, better ingredients make better food.

The crudo

Topped with some chopped shiso leaves with a bit more olive oil and several drops of balsamic vinegar (oops I spilled a little)

The Result: Your classic crudo flavor, with a bit of liveliness and earthiness from the shiso leaves. The fluke had great texture and the flavor combination of the lemon, salt, and olive oil was outstanding. The shiso leaves truly gave a surprising sharp earthiness that helped elevate this dish to a whole new level.

Ingredients:

Red Snapper, or any white fish that is sashimi grade

About 4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil

Pinch of Maldon Sea Salt, or any high grade sea salt

Generous squeeze of lemon juice

Shiso Leaves (optional) for garnish

Couple drops of Balsamic Vinegar for garnish

Cut sashimi grade fish diagonally at about a 40 degree angle, cutting them at about 1/4 inch thick. When cutting, use only one stroke of the knife to cut through the fish. Repeat.

In a mixing bowl, combine olive oil with lemon. Add fish, and mix gently until every piece of fish is coated with olive oil mixture.

Add sea salt. If using Maldon Sea Salt, crush salt particles finely with fingers before adding to the fish. Taste test, and make adjustments if necessary.

Chop shiso leaves finely, and place in the center of the fish.

Dress with more olive oil and some balsamic vinegar.