Vietnamese Salad with Yellowtail
This light and delicious salad came to us by way of Chef Ludo. This salad is delicious! A big hit at parties! Presented to you by Wixter Seafood and Chef Ludo Lefebvre.
Ingredients
PICKLED RED ONIONS:
1/2 cup Sherry vinegar
1/3 cup water
1/4 cup dry white wine
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
Sachet: 1/2 tablespoon coriander seeds, 1/2 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
1 small red onion, julienned
SALAD:
24 slices Australian Yellowtail
3 cups finely julienned peeled seeded green papaya
3 cups finely julienned peeled jicama
1/2 green banana, peeled and julienned
1/3 cup (loosely packed) small Thai basil leaves (quartered if large)
1/2 cup (loosely packed) cilantro leaves
Vietnamese Vinaigrette (recipe follows)
2 limes (about 1/4 cup)
VIETNAMESE VINAIGRETTE: Makes about 1 cup
1/3 cup water
1/4 cup fish sauce (Three Crab brand)
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
5 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 tablespoons palm sugar
3 Thai chilies, seeded, finely chopped
https://gem-3910432.netalted butter
1 lime juice
4 tablespoons good-quality Mezcal
Freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup water
1/4 cup fish sauce (Three Crab brand)
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
5 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 tablespoons palm sugar
3 Thai chilies, seeded, finely chopped
https://gem-3910432.netalted butter
1 lime juice
4 tablespoons good-quality Mezcal
Freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
STEP 1 - Prepare the vinaigrette: Combine all the ingredients in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside to cool. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
STEP 2 - Prepare the fried shallots and lotus root: Using a mandolin, thinly slice the shallots into 2 mm rings and cut the lotus root crosswise into 2 mm slices. You’ll have about 1 1/2 cups of sliced shallots and 2 cups of slices lotus root.
Add enough oil to a heavy large saucepan to fill it halfway, then heat the oil over medium heat to 300°F. Use a deep-fry thermometer to regulate the temperature of the oil; anything higher than 300°F will be too hot.
STEP 3: Working in batches, fry the lotus root slices until they shrink to about half their size and become golden brown, about 3 minutes. Using a spider or wide meshed spoon, remove the lotus root chips from the oil to drain, then transfer them to a baking sheet lined with paper towels. Repeat with the shallots, frying them just until they are pale golden, as they will continue to darken as they cool, and gently lay them on the paper towels to maintain their rings. The shallots will become crisp and delicate when cooled, so don’t pile them on the paper towels.
STEP 4 - Prepare the pickled red onions: Combine the vinegar, water, wine, sugar, and sachet in a heavy small saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Place the onions in a bowl and pour the hot vinegar mixture over the onions. Set aside until the onions are pickled and the mixture is completely cooled. Before serving, drain the pickling juice.
STEP 5 - Assemble the salad: Combine the jicama, papaya, banana, 1/4 cup of the basil, 1/3 cup of the cilantro, half of the shallots, half of the lotus root chips, and 2/3 cup of the pickled onions in a large mixing bowl and toss with enough vinaigrette to coat (about 1/2 cup). Season to taste with fresh lime juice (about 1/4 cup).
STEP 6: Lay 4 yellowtail slices on each of 6 plates. Mound the salad on top of the yellowtail. Garnish with the remaining basil, cilantro, lotus root chips and shallots, and serve immediately.