The raw paper-thin fresh salmon is combined a tangy dressing and a garnish of roasted sweet red peppers, and diced fresh tomatoes. You can prepare the salmon 2 hours in advance. Season only when ready to serve.
Ingredients
1 pound salmon fillet, fresh
5 tablespoons green peppercorns, chopped
2 tablespoons lemon juice
to taste, salt
5 tablespoons olive oil
1 large sweet red pepper
2 large tomatoes
6 sprigs fresh parsley
12 slices toasted french bread
Preparation
When serving raw fish, you must buy extra-fresh fish of the highest quality and serve it the same day. Bone and skin the salmon fillet. Cut into 6 equal slices.
Lay an 11-inch square sheet of plastic wrap flat on a working surface. Place one slice of salmon in the middle and cover with a second 11-inch square of plastic.
Gently flatten the salmon with a meat pounder, mallet, or a heavy skillet into a disk about 5 to 6 inches in diameter, shaping it as round and thin as possible. Repeat the same process with the other 5 pieces of salmon.
Stack the 6 wrapped salmon disks on a plate and refrigerate until needed.
In a cup, mix the green peppercorns, lemon juice, salt, and oil. Set the carpaccio dressing aside. Preheat broiler.
Split the red peppers in halves; remove seeds. Place the red pepper halves on an oiled baking sheet and broil until skin becomes dark, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool.
Peel the blackened skin off under cold water. Pat dry with paper towel, cut into matchsticks, and set aside.
Dip the tomatoes in boiling water for 8 to 10 seconds, transfer to cold water for a minute. Peel the tomatoes, split in halves, squeeze the seeds out. Cut tomato pieces into 1/4-inch dices, and set aside.
Remove the wrapped salmon slices from the refrigerator. Discard the top layer of plastic from each salmon disk and place salmon side down on a cold serving plate. Discard the remaining sheet of plastic. Repeat the same process with the remaining salmon disks.
PRESENTATION
Drizzle the carpaccio dressing equally over each salmon disk. Garnish each plate with the red pepper strips, diced tomatoes, and parsley sprigs.
Serve with toasted french bread.
Note: Another variation is to serve the salmon carpaccio with a gazpacho salad or a tabouleh salad.
