Raw and Rare Delicious raw, lightly cured and seared dishes

from sashimi and ceviche to carpaccio and tartare

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For John
 Raw and rare
Delicious raw, lightly cured and seared dishes – from sashimi and Cebiche to
carpaccio and tartare

Lindy Wildsmith
Photography by Kevin Summers
 Contents
Introduction
FISH AND SEAFOOD
• Raw fish dishes
• Cebiche, crudo and tartare
• Cured
• Smoked, blanched, seared and grilled (broiled)

MEAT, POULTRY AND GAME

• Raw meat dishes: carpaccio and la carne cruda
• Tartare
• Seared

SALADS, VEGETABLES AND DRESSINGS

PICKLES
FRUIT
Index
About the author
Thanks
 Introduction
IF YOU HAVEN’T YET TRIED RAW FISH AND MEAT, you may wonder what all the
fuss is about – you may even find the idea worrying – but raw meat is not
bloody, and raw fish is not fishy. Funny, that! Instead, if raw food is new to
you, think of the flavour and texture of cooked fish or meat, then think of
the taste and silky feel of their cold-smoked equivalents; raw is just a step
away from the cold-smoked texture we are used to in smoked salmon. Now,
think cooked vegetables versus raw vegetables – or cooked fruits as
opposed to fresh fruits – and you may begin to imagine what a culinary
treasure house awaits within these pages. Once you have tried raw food,
you’ll wonder what took you so long to come around to it. Raw food is
light, refreshing, naturally sweet, reviving and satisfying. And, indeed,
healthy.
However, this is not intended as a health book, but as an invitation to
discover some of the world’s most varied, taste bud-teasing and interesting
culinary traditions, that have been enjoyed around the world for hundreds –
even thousands – of years. Japan has sashimi, that reflects the seasons;
South American cebiche (often spelled as Cebiche) displays passion, colour
and flavour; Italy has crudo; and France and Germany have tartare, all
dishes that mirror the riches, style and sophistication of a broad culinary
heritage. As people have shifted from continent to continent, from island to
island, these raw food traditions have spread and evolved, creating new
versions in adopted lands, using whatever ingredients were to hand.
Few people doubt the nutritional benefits of eating raw fruits and
vegetables, but many are more sceptical about consuming raw fish and
meat. However, these raw proteins have been eaten for millennia; in ancient
times, in order to survive, and, in more recent times, for the pure pleasure of
it. They are still enjoyed today by communities all over the world, wherever
the tradition has lingered.
It is documented that, back in the first millennium, the people of Japan
lived notably long lives, reaching eighty, ninety and even one hundred years
of age, eating a diet of raw food and soup. They ate vegetables, fruit and
nuts, and side dishes taken from a large range of raw fish and seafood, or
wild game such as boar, deer, hare and duck. Fish kept the brain young,
while meat aided growth and maintained health.
Whether you like to eat your fish, meat, vegetables and fruit raw and
merely anointed or marinated; or seared, grilled (broiled) or blanched;
perhaps lightly salted, smoked or pickled; there is something in Raw and
Rare for everyone.
Sashimi is one hundred per cent raw fish, meat or poultry, filleted,
sliced with extreme precision and served with dipping sauces and shredded
daikon (mooli). It may be argued, however, that cebiche is not raw at all.
The citric acid in the citrus fruits used in those preparations fundamentally
change the proteins in the fish and meat to which they are added, in a
process called denaturation. During this operation, the normally twisted and
folded protein molecules are unravelled into less convoluted shapes. They
lose their original nature, or become denatured.
Heat also denatures proteins; we call it cooking. High concentrations of
salt denature proteins; we call this salting. Acetic acid in vinegar denatures
proteins; we call that pickling. The acidity in wine denatures proteins; we
call it marinating. Citrus juices denature proteins; we call this cebiche.
The meat and fish recipes in this book start with the raw experience, but
they do not stop there. You may love fish, but don’t fancy it raw, and there
is no need to miss out; where possible, I have given instructions for cooking
fish lightly before adding it to a dish. Seafood such as prawns (shrimp) and
lobsters, squid and octopus are generally best lightly steamed or poached
before eating, even if they are guaranteed straight from the sea (though I
also give a fine recipe for raw langoustines here that is definitely worth
trying). The dishes range from completely raw, through marinated, cured
and smoked, to lightly cooked, so there are plenty of alternatives. But
remember: anyone that enjoys fish and meat knows that – to get the best out
of it – the flesh should be seared on the outside while retaining the moisture
on the inside, which should remain rare. Overcook it at your peril!
Then there are salads and raw vegetable concoctions and dressings; a
mighty store of pickles from Italy, Scandinavia, Japan, Germany and the
UK to accompany fish or meat; and, to complete the picture, a colourful
range of seasonal fruit platters with which to end your meal.
With this book, I am not asking you to change your diet, but to enhance
it by enjoying a whole raft of thrilling new experiences, plus receiving the
benefit – from time to time – of consuming the full raw power of nature,
undiminished by cooking.
Fish and seafood
Getting started: fish and seafood
The chances are that – if you are interested in preparing and eating
raw fish – you are already a fish lover and use a trusted fish shop or
counter. If not, find one! Stay with it and don’t be shy about using the
fishmonger: ask their advice. Here are a few basics you should know, for
the best results.

Choosing fish and seafood

Coastal dwellers from all points of the compass have long eaten, even lived
on, raw fish. Fishermen all over the world have kept themselves going at
sea by eating it. Today, this once elementary form of nutrition has been
elevated to great culinary heights.
Whether making sashimi, cebiche, carpaccio or tartare, be flexible with
your choice of fish once you are confronted with the display. You need it to
be as fresh as possible, so choose from what is recommended rather than
from a shopping list; use a reliable fishmonger and ask which fish they
would suggest for eating raw. Without exception, the type of fish used in
each recipe in this book can be swapped for another of the same type. You
can mix and match fish and dressings in all the dishes. And remember: a
good fishmonger smells of the sea, not of fish.
Buy fish and seafood in season; again, you’ll need your fishmonger’s
advice on this, though there are useful online guides. There is pleasure in
having to wait for something to come into season, then feasting on it while
you can. Avoid imported fish where possible, unless it is of sashimi grade.
Once you have gained some experience in what to look for, the freshest
fish will start to beckon to you. Whole fish such as mackerel, sea bream or
sea bass should look as if they have just been pulled from the sea: open-
mouthed, shiny-eyed and with firm plump flesh and bright-looking skin and
gills. Fish fillets should be firm and plump with a silky radiance, showing
no sign of leaching water.
 RAW FISH WARNING
It is advisable to freeze all fatty and farmed fish for 48 hours before serving raw, to
destroy any parasites. Although it is a shame to have to freeze oily fish such as salmon, it
suffers very little or no deterioration when frozen for a short while. However, most white
fish will lose its firm moist texture in the freezer, so make sure it is only frozen for the
minimum amount of time.

Choose seafood carefully, looking for the same signs as you would
search for in fresh fish: the flesh should be silky shiny, so if it looks dead,
don’t buy it. With a little effort, you should be able to imagine it still alive.
Prawns (shrimp) should be plump and firm to the touch, dry, with no sign of
leaching from the eggs. If you are going to eat them raw or lightly poached,
always buy seafood with the shells on. Raw prawns (shrimp) are greyish or
pale pinky beige and only turn red once cooked. Buy native prawns
(shrimp) and langoustines if you can.
Scallops should not be white, but slightly beige in tone, wound in
membrane with their corals still attached. If they are white, they have been
left soaking and have become bleached. Hand-dived scallops are best, if
you can get them. I remember, when I lived in Cornwall, that hand-dived
scallops were all that was available. The fishmonger used to tip me the wink
when a diver had been in. The scallops were still in their shells, straight
from the sea. Yes, we had to wait for them… but boy, did we enjoy them
when we could! I keep the shells, as they are perfect vessels for serving the
scallops in.
Squid should look really shiny; not as white as snow, but rather streaked
with grey, the remnants of its sepia. The tentacles should be still attached,
and – if you are very lucky – the bag of sepia might be inside the body, too.
Molluscs such as clams and mussels should be firmly closed until cooked,
at which point they will open (discard any that fail to do so). Their shells
will feel rough and wild on the outside and silkily super-smooth within.

HEALTH AND SAFETY

• Use a reputable fishmonger
• Buy fish and eat it on the same day, or at least start the preparation process, if it is
lengthy
 • Freeze fatty and farmed fish for 48 hours before preparation
• Wash your hands scrupulously before handling fish
• Wash utensils thoroughly before use
• Scrub chopping boards very well with salt, rinse and dry between uses
• Once fish has been prepared, store on the bottom shelf of the fridge and use within a
few hours

Sustainability
If you can buy wild fish, all the better, though make sure it is sustainable
and remember that farmed fish is not always the answer to marine
conservation, because it can create terrible pollution in the water.
It is difficult to give good guidance on sustainability, because the goal
posts are changing all the time. What is off limits one year is back on the
menu the next. Official guidance (and common sense) suggests the cook
should choose as wide a variety of fish as possible and not stick with the
same tried and tested type all the time. A good fishmonger will advise you
on how to treat an unfamiliar fish, and be able to answer all your questions.

Eating raw fish

You may not have tried eating raw fish before but, let me tell you, once
tried, you will be surprised at both the flavour and texture. Raw fish neither
tastes nor smells fishy (if it does, don’t eat it), but of the sea. It is firm to the
bite, refreshing and sweet to the taste. The texture is something like smoked
salmon.
When buying farmed salmon, freeze fillets for 48 hours to kill any
parasites that may be present. Do not defrost the fish completely before
slicing, but for just an hour or so, after which it will be truly firm and
simpler to cut with precision. You may also like to freeze other fresh fish
for 90 minutes before slicing, to make the slicing easier.
If you really don’t fancy eating raw fish, try making my raw fish recipes
but lightly poaching, grilling (broiling) or searing the fish first. It works
well in most cases.
What to eat with it
The right accompaniments are also essential and are dealt with under each
recipe. For my own taste I love eating bread and butter with raw fish, a
habit I learned in Liguria, Italy, when I tried my first sea urchin. In Japan
raw fish is enjoyed on its own, almost as pure protein, with a little garnish
and a dab of dipping sauce. In South America, plantain chips, sweet potato,
sweetcorn and popcorn often play a part in the mix on the plate, over and
above the basic cebiche ingredients.

RAW FISH RULES

• Only buy fish from a reliable source
• Tell the seller it is to be eaten raw
• Allow 60–75g (2–23/4oz) for a starter (appetizer) portion, or 100–120g (31/2–4oz) for a
main course
• Be aware of hygiene at all times (see box, here)
• Don’t wash fish; wipe with a damp cloth if necessary unless it is very bloody, in which
case wash it in salt water
• Partially freeze fish for 90 minutes, to facilitate slicing
• Use a knife with a long thin blade; always keep it sharpened
• For D cuts, slice at right angles to the skin (see here)
• For long slices, cut at a wide angle, slicing towards the tail
• To slim down over-thick slices; lay them on a board and run a knife blade firmly and
closely over the surface, stretching the slices as you do so (see here for a photo)
• Make sure you use plenty of salt crystals and citrus juice either before or with the other
ingredients. Raw fish needs more salt than you would expect; citrus juice kills bacteria
• Marinate for anything from seconds to 1 hour, depending on the recipe, or how rare you
like your raw fish
• Serve with crusty white bread and butter, crackers, crisps (potato chips), plantain chips,
savoury popcorn, even a cone of freshly cooked chips (french fries)… or by itself

Tuna loin and salmon ‘tails’

It is wise to order these in advance. Your fishmonger will nearly always
have them, but they are rarely on show. When you want to thinly slice tuna
and salmon in a recipe, the tail pieces not only represent value for money,
but you will need to buy less and there will be less waste, because if the
girth of the fish is large you need to buy more to cut enough slices. The
same goes for searing: if the girth is large, you would need to buy much
more and cook it for longer, which would throw the recipes out completely.
Raw fish dishes
The beauty of experimenting with raw fish is that it opens up a wealth
of healthy new ways to enjoy fresh fish. A good knife or two are
essentials (see here), and so is a steel or stone to sharpen them on…
but if you enjoy cooking, you will already have those.

Sashimi
A Japanese tradition in which raw fish are cut into slices that mirror the
natural shape of each fish, arranged formally, then decorated with delicate
leaves, vegetable shreds and flowers to reflect the season. Small amounts of
soy-based sauces are offered, to dip into. There are also tiny heaps of grated
ginger or wasabi to enhance the dish. At home a Japanese diner may enjoy a
salad of sashimi, where raw fish is cut into cubes and mixed with
vegetables. The whole experience is about the textures and flavours of
different kinds of raw fish.

Cebiche
South American cebiche is traditionally cut into cubes, then marinated for
anything from a few seconds to 10 minutes in lime or other citrus juices that
denature the flesh. Chilli, herbs, vegetables and seeds are added to create a
riot of flavours and textures. Sauces, dressings and accompaniments are
poured over the fish, or served on the side and mixed in on the plate.
Preparing Avocado, radish, rocket (arugula), diced tuna and salmon roe salad (see here)

Crudo, carpaccio, tartare

Elegant Italian crudi (raw fish dishes) have long been popular up and down
the peninsula. Crudo, meaning ‘raw’, is the generic word for all raw Italian
foods (often referred to incorrectly as carpaccio). They owe their origins,
just like sashimi and cebiche, to humble beginnings a very long time ago.
Fishermen – having no means to cook or preserve freshly caught fish on
deck – filleted fish to eat raw with a squeeze of lemon juice.
Carpaccio was invented as a raw meat dish (see here) in the mid-20th
century, but the word is often used to describe raw fish dishes, especially
those made from large meaty fish that give big slices. The fish – such as
tuna, salmon or swordfish – is sliced thinly and served with a light covering
of rocket (arugula) leaves, shavings of Parmesan, extra virgin olive oil and
black pepper or even, as in the original meat version, with a light
mayonnaise.
In France or Germany, ‘tartare’ generally refers to raw meat (see here)
rather than fish dishes. However, formally arranged chopped raw fish dishes
are often called tartares, simply because the fish is finely chopped, then
moulded into a neat round, or shaped into quenelles with a couple of
spoons, in the same way as a meat tartare.

Knives
Sashimi requires at least two knives, an all-round Japanese kitchen knife
and a sashimi knife (see here). Cebiche, tartare and crudo need nothing
more than good all-round kitchen knives. Remember, it doesn’t matter how
good your knife is, if you don’t sharpen it at least once a day, it won’t work.
If you are a fisherman and you are going to fillet your own fish, a
filleting knife would be useful but – again – not essential. Ideally, buy your
knife in person. Lift it, hold it, make sure it is comfortable for you to use.
Don’t buy a cheap set just because it is on offer. And, if you buy a knife
over the internet, when it turns up, test it: balance it in your hand, see if it
feels right.
Thinly cut slices of sea bass fillet

Filleting and skinning fish

Wipe the fish if necessary, then pat dry on a clean cloth. Gut the fish (if this
hasn’t already been done by the fishmonger), cutting down along the length
of the underbelly, and scrape out the innards. Wipe the cavity with kitchen
paper (paper towels) or cloth. Lay the fish on a chopping board and cut off
the fillets according to the captions and photos in this chapter.
However good and experienced you are at filleting, you will need to
trim the fillets of any bits of fins, bone and so on, and create a well-sculpted
piece of fish ready for slicing. All this can be done a few hours in advance,
but do not skin or slice the fish until required.
 To trim the fish fillets, lay them skin side down. First, cut away the ribs
that lined the visceral cavity, keeping the knife close to the bones to avoid
excess wastage. Now you have to remove the pinbones that run lengthways
down the centre of each fillet. This can be done in two ways. The first way
is to use tweezers. Locate the pinbones by running your finger down the
central line of each fillet, then pluck each out in turn. The second is to cut
them away: cut a ‘V’ along and around the tiny bones that run down the
centre of the fillets. Then, starting at the wide end of the fillet, pull away the
V-shape of flesh containing the bones.
To skin a fish fillet, leave the fillets skin side down on the work surface.
Run the tip of your knife between the fish flesh and its skin at one end of
the fillet, creating a flap of skin that is large enough to grab with your other
hand (a piece of kitchen paper / paper towel may help you to hold on to the
slippery skin). Continue to cut away the skin, angling the knife towards the
board away from you and pulling firmly with your free hand. You should
find that the skin pulls away. For mackerel, the process is slightly different.
Because their skins are so thin, simply nick a corner of it with your
tweezers and pinch until you can firmly grab the semi-transparent
membrane. Gently pull this off, leaving most of the beautiful, iridescent
striped pattern of the skin on the flesh.
Skinning Dover sole fillet