Chef Nathan Gould of Water Street Restaurant at the Harbor View Hotel in Edgartown says his fluke crudo is a very refreshing appetizer for a Vineyard summer evening. “Enjoy with a vinho verde or any easy-drinking citrus-forward wine,” he adds.
Serves 2
- 1 fillet of very fresh Vineyard fluke, about 6 ounces
- 5 large, ripe summer strawberries (try Morning Glory Farm or North Tabor Farm)
- 1 pinch smoked sea salt
- 2 teaspoons yuzu* or freshly squeezed grapefruit juice
- 3 tablespoons good olive oil
- 1 ounce micro cilantro or micro radish greens (try Thimble Farm or Martha’s Vineyard Organics, available at Cronig’s)
- sea salt
- ground black pepper
1. Place the fillet of fluke on ice and keep very cold until ready to use.
2. Clean the berries and remove the tops; place in the blender.
3. Add the yuzu or grapefruit juice to the berries and blend until very smooth. Season with a pinch of salt and a turn of black pepper. Remove from blender and place in a squeeze bottle with a small tip.
4. Slice the filet of fluke paper thin on an extreme bias using a sashimi or long filet knife. Keep the slices cold until ready to plate.
5. Chill a plate in the freezer for 10 minutes or until very cold. Using the strawberry puree, create a dot design on the chilled plate.
6. Arrange the paper-thin slices of fish on top of the strawberry puree, sprinkle with a generous amount of smoked salt, an even more generous amount of rich olive oil, and finish with a turn or two of ground black pepper. Garnish with some fresh micro greens.
*Yuzu is a citrus fruit and plant originating in East Asia with a sweet/sour flavor. It is available, among other places, from Sid Wainer & Son, a New Bedford–based specialty food distributor.
This recipe was originally published in the article, Know Your Fluke and Eat it Too.
