March marks the beginning of autumn in Australia, my favourite time of year. It hasn’t happened yet at the time of writing this newsletter, but soon we will feel that first cool breeze which immediately changes the atmosphere. A bit like steam rushing from a pressure cooker, it feels as though everyone takes a big sigh of relief and you can’t help but smile. Okay, maybe I’m projecting... Not everyone loves cooler weather as much as I do! Unfortunately, the weather has not yet gotten the memo that its supposed to be cooling down and this weekend is forecast to be 35c (!!) here in Sydney and my frizzy hair tells me the humidity is still kicking around too. So, as much as im ready for sweater weather and all the cozy cooking that comes with it, ill have to wait a bit longer.
The good news is, this gives me a chance to share a recipe that I’ve been holding onto for a while, never quite finding its right moment, until now. This week im sharing a recipe for ‘Umami Fish Tartare with Lime and Rice Crackers’. A recipe born out of this very moment. Its too hot to cook and you just want something light and refreshing. Its also lime season right now! If you know me, you know im obsessed with lemons but what you might not know about me is that if I had to choose between lemons and limes to use for the rest of my life, I will choose limes. Controversial, I know.
Using pantry staples like soy sauce, chili crisp, sesame oil and dried rice papers along with just a few fresh ingredients like limes, tomatoes, coriander, spring onions, jalapeno, garlic and ginger and you really have a dish that is truly restaurant worthy but is as easy as it gets.
It has always confounded me why people are so intimidated by preparing raw fish as I believe it is actually one of the easiest things to get right. Its true that finding the freshest fish is the hardest part facing the home cook but visiting the fish market or a reputable fish monger can also be a lot of fun. For the love of God, please don’t buy raw fish at the big chain grocery stores, you will be disappointed. Once youre at busy fish shop, pick something out that looks good to you or speak to someone about what has just arrived. In my tartare I used silver trevally. I love that fish for raw preparations. Its firm, just a bit fatty and very economical. Other options include wild kingfish which can be a bit elusive but excellent if you can find it or snapper which seems to always be around. Ask them to fillet the fish for you and remove pinbones and skin. (Please note that even when you ask nicely, they may not have time to pin bone the fish for you so be prepared with some pliers or tweezers at home to do it yourself or just cut them away from the fish with a sharp knife.)
I like to store fish in the refrigerator in a sealed container, on top of a few layers of dry paper towel to absorb any moisture which may seep out. If its super fresh, you can hold it for a couple of days before serving it but the fresher the better so don’t waste time.
Once you’ve got the freshest fish its as easy as a bit of chopping, some measuring and some mixing. The fried rice crackers are an easy thing to knock up. I don’t know anyone, adult or child, that doesn’t love watching a translucent, static and stiff rice paper grow and morph into a bubbly and wavy crisp cracker in mere seconds in hot oil. Its pure magic. You can, however, swap for corn chips or crostini or roasted nori sheets as an alternative.
As always, I hope you love this recipe and please do let me know if you have any questions or comments. I love reading your messages. Happy (no) cooking my friends!
Umami fish tartare with lime and rice crackers
Out now: Recipes for a Lifetime of Beautiful Cooking
If you have any questions, comments or feedback, please reach out via instagram @daniellemariealvarez or via my website.