Salmon Tartare with Pink Peppercorns & Lemon
Pepper

Salmon Tartare with Pink Peppercorns & Lemon

Fresh knife-cut salmon tartare, vibrant Madagascar pink peppercorns, lemon and fresh herbs. An elegant starter in minutes.

  • Prep 20 min
  • Total 20 min
  • Serves 4
  • Difficulty Facile

Pink peppercorns are not, despite their name, a true pepper. They are the fruit of Schinus terebinthifolius, a tree native to Latin America and naturalised in Madagascar since the 19th century, where it thrives especially in the warm regions of the south. Their profile is unique: mild, lightly sweet, resinous, with notes of pine and juniper. No aggressive heat, but a long finish that masks nothing, quite the opposite, it lifts. On a salmon tartare, the pairing falls into place naturally: the rich flesh of the salmon is tempered by the freshness of the peppercorns, and their pink colour echoes the colour of the fish on the plate. Our version, simple and quick, relies on the quality of the ingredients rather than piling them on: excellent salmon, whole peppercorns crushed at the last moment, lemon, herbs. Nothing else. It's enough.

Méthode

Préparation

  1. Place the salmon fillet in the freezer for 20 minutes before cutting: the firmer flesh cuts into cleaner cubes. Prepare all the other ingredients while you wait.
  2. Check for bones by running your fingers over the fillet against the grain. Remove any with tweezers.
  3. With a sharp knife (no food processor or mincer, this is essential for the texture), cut the salmon into even 4-5 mm cubes. Slice into strips first, then into sticks, then into cubes. Keep chilled in a bowl.
  4. Coarsely crush 1.5 tsp of pink peppercorns with a mortar or the flat of a knife: you want to break the berry to release its aroma, not pulverise it. Keep 1/2 tsp of whole berries for the finish.
  5. In a small bowl, prepare the dressing: mustard, lemon juice, zest, olive oil, pili-pili salt, white pepper. Whisk with a fork for 30 seconds until emulsified.
  6. Add to the salmon: the chopped shallot, the crushed pink peppercorns, the dill, the chives and the dressing. Mix gently with a spatula so as not to crush the cubes. Taste and adjust the salt/lemon if needed.
  7. Cover with cling film and chill for 10 minutes maximum (beyond that, the lemon starts to 'cook' the flesh and alters the texture).
  8. Meanwhile, toast the slices of country bread in a toaster or a pan. Cut them in half or into fingers, depending on how you plan to plate.
  9. Plate using an 8 cm steel ring on chilled plates: press down lightly, remove the ring, scatter the remaining whole pink peppercorns on top, add a small sprig of dill.
  10. Serve immediately with the warm toasts on the side and a drizzle of olive oil around the plate.
Astuce du chef

Le petit plus qui change tout

For a more festive version, add 50 g of avocado cut into very small dice (mixed in right at the end, otherwise it oxidises) or 2 tbsp of mascarpone whipped with a fork as a layer between the tartare and the plate. Asian variation: replace the olive oil with 1 tbsp of sesame oil, add 1 tsp of soy sauce and a few toasted sesame seeds, keep the pink peppercorns, they pair beautifully with Japanese flavours. For a buffet, plate it in individual glasses. Tartare doesn't keep: prepare it 30 minutes maximum before serving, season at the last minute. If you need to prepare ahead, cut the salmon and keep it covered and chilled without seasoning (4 hours maximum).

Questions fréquentes

À propos de cette recette

How can I be sure my salmon is fresh enough to eat raw?
Buy it from a fishmonger the same day, ask for sashimi grade or tartare quality. The flesh should be glossy, firm to the touch, with no smell other than the sea. Failing that, buy salmon frozen at -20°C for at least 24 hours (a process that kills anisakis parasites) and thaw it slowly in the fridge.
Why cut it by hand rather than in a food processor?
A food processor crushes the fibres and releases the fish's water: the tartare turns into a grey mush. Cut by hand, each cube keeps its texture, its juices and its shine. It takes longer but is essential, allow 10 minutes for 500 g once you get the hang of it.
Are pink peppercorns an allergen?
People with nut allergies should stay cautious: although botanically different, pink peppercorns belong to the Anacardiaceae family (the same as cashews and pistachios). If you have a known allergy to these, ask your doctor for advice before eating them.
Can salmon be replaced with another fish?
Yes, gilt-head bream, meagre or bluefin tuna all work very well. For bluefin tuna, double the pink peppercorns: its stronger flesh needs more aromatics. Raw scallops cut into small dice are exceptional too, in fact it's one of our favourite pairings.
What wine should be served with this tartare?
A dry, mineral white: Chablis, Sancerre, Pouilly-Fumé, or a dry Alsace Riesling. Avoid overly oaky, expressive wines, which would mask the delicacy of the pink peppercorns. A blanc de blancs Champagne also pairs perfectly for a special-occasion starter.
In the kitchen

Four moves with one bean

What to do with a whole bean, from the first cut to the sugar jar.

01 Split 30 s

Knife tip halfway through, one single pass along the whole length.

02 Scrape 1 min

Scrape both halves with a spoon. That black is the flavour.

03 Infuse 20 min

Seeds and bean into the hot milk, off the heat, covered.

Vanilla beans laid on a white plate
04 Reuse 1 week

Rinse the emptied bean, let it dry, then slip it into the sugar.

One bean serves twice
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