Salmon Timballes and Scallops Tartare With Caviar
- Total Time
- 35 minutes, plus refrigeration
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Ingredients
- ¼clove garlic, finely minced
- ½sweet red pepper, finely chopped, a scant Y cup
- 2green or red hot chilies, seeds removed, finely minced, about 2 tablespoons
- 2small tomatoes, peeled, seeded and finely chopped but not to mush, a scant ½ cup
- 2½tablespoons green, fragrant olive oil
- ¼cup minced fresh coriander
- ¼teaspoon salt, if caviar is omitted
- ⅓ to ½cup fresh lime juice
- ¼pound salmon, cut in ¼-inch dice
- ¼pound scallops, cut in ¼-inch dice
- Olive oil for the molding pans
- 12very thin slices raw salmon, each roughly 3-inches square, about 8 ounces (see note)
- 2tablespoons thick creme fraiche
- 1tablespoon snipped chives
- 2tablespoons very fresh salmon caviar - do not substitute vacuum packed
The Marinade
The Timbales
Preparation
- Step 1
Combine all the marinade ingredients, except the lime juice, in a small deep bowl. Add the salmon and scallop dice, stir well and add just enough lime juice to barely cover the mixture. Cover tightly and refrigerate for 20 minutes.
- Step 2
Lightly oil 12 mini muffin cups, timbale molds or similar vessels roughly one-and-a-half-inches across and one-inch high. Line with squares of plastic wrap, keeping them as smooth as possible.
- Step 3
Line the molds with the thin salmon slices, overlapping if necessary to cover interior completely, letting the excess hang over.
- Step 4
Drain the marinated mixture, pressing hard on the solids to remove all possible liquid, then distribute it among the lined molds. The mixture should mound slightly above the edges. Fold the edges of the salmon liner over the tops, cover with plastic wrap and weight with a heavy cutting board or other flat weight.
- Step 5
Chill the timbales for one or two hours, then remove from molds and reverse to show smooth bottoms. Top each with a dab of creme fraiche, sprinkle with chives and add a half teaspoon of the caviar.
- To get thin slices, use a thick, center-cut fillet with the skin removed. Set in freezer to firm (do not let freeze), then slice with a very sharp, thin-bladed knife. Either lightly smoked salmon or gravlax, both easier to slice, may be substituted, but flavor will be different.
Private Notes