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Salmon crudo with lemon caper sauce made with lightly cured sushi grade salmon, fresh lemon, capers, olive oil, and herbs, served as a bright, elegant raw salmon appetizer.
About the Dish
Apart from being absolutely gorgeous, this salmon crudo is fresh, light and super easy to make. And that is why it is one of my go-to’s when people come over. This is a dish that people order out all the time, but for some reason they are surprised at how easy it is to make at home.
The salmon is lightly cured which makes it extra tender. The sliced cucumbers add a fresh, clean crunch. The lemon caper sauce is amazing. We all know how I am very about balance and that is exactly what I’ve done with this sauce. It’s bright, briny, savory, a touch sweet. When you combine all of this you have a deliciously fresh appetizer that leaves you feeling good and wanting more.
Table of Contents
Prep the Ingredients
The Cured Salmon
Sushi Grade Salmon | Kosher Salt | Sugar
The salmon should be fully thawed if previously frozen, very cold, and kept refrigerated. Pat it dry so the surface is free of excess moisture. Combine the salt and sugar so the cure is ready to apply evenly. Do not let it cure for over 30 minutes. Beyond that point, the salt begins to draw out too much moisture, which tightens the flesh and shifts the texture from tender to firm and opaque instead of silky and clean.
The Lemon Caper Sauce
Lemon | Capers | Caper Brine | Chives | Dill | Dijon Mustard | Honey | Olive Oil
Zest the lemon first, then juice it. Drain the capers and reserve the brine so both are ready to use. Wash and then finely chop the chives and dill. Measure the Dijon mustard, honey, and olive oil so all sauce components are portioned and ready.
The Assembly
Cucumbers | Shallots | Jalapeno | Japanese Mayo
Slice the shallots thinly and separate the rings so they are ready for frying. These can be fried the day before and kept at room temperature. Slice the cucumbers thinly and keep them chilled until ready to use so that they stay crisp. Your Jalapeños should also be thinly sliced and keep chilled.
Ingredient Swaps
- Sushi-Grade Salmon: Sushi- grade hamachi or tuna will work great in this sauce.
- Capers: Finely chopped green olives can step in if you’re out of capers. The flavor stays briny and savory, just a touch rounder.
- Dill and chives: Parsley can replace either if needed. It’s slightly milder but still keeps the sauce fresh and balanced.
- Cucumbers: Thinly sliced fennel works if you want to switch it up. It’s crisp with a subtle sweetness that still keeps everything light.
- Japanese mayo: A small spoon of crème fraîche can be used instead. It’s tangier and less rich, but still adds a soft, creamy finish.
Similar Recipes
- Salmon Crudo with Yuzu Soy & Spicy Mayo: A Japanese-inspired crudo with lightly cured salmon crusted in chives topped with a bright yuzu-soy dressing, a dollop of spicy mayo, crisp shallots and Jalapeño slices for a little spice.
- Hamachi Crudo: Silky yellowtail slices served with a rich truffled chili yuzu sauce and crispy leeks, blending bold savory notes with fresh citrus and heat.
- Salmon Crudo: This crudo has a vibrant cilantro-yuzu sauce and crisp fried leeks. This one is absolutely stunning because the sauce is a beautiful bright green and you have the option to add edible flowers on top.
Nadia’s Tips
- Always get sushi-grade salmon. If you can’t find it near you, I have been super happy with Catalina Offshore Products, Yama Seafood and Riviera Seafood Club.
- Don’t let your salmon cure for longer than 30 minutes. Anything longer starts pulling out too much moisture, and the texture shifts from silky to tight. You lose that clean, delicate bite that makes crudo what it is.
- Slice the salmon right before serving. Even a short rest after slicing changes the texture, and crudo is best when it still feels fresh and cool. It’s a small thing, but it makes a noticeable difference on the plate.
The Perfect Pairings
Cucumbertini: A cold, clean cucumber martini with a subtle herbal edge. It’s crisp and refreshing, and it pairs great with this velvety raw salmon and the sauce.
Crispy Chicken Thighs: Bone-in chicken thighs cooked until deeply crisp, finished with a savory pan sauce. Rich, salty, and satisfying as a main following this cold starter.
Arugula Fennel Salad: Peppery arugula and shaved fennel tossed in a bright lemon vinaigrette with olive oil and salt.
Passion Fruit Panna Cotta: Silky panna cotta set softly and topped with tart passion fruit. Creamy, cold, and clean to end the meal. This one is make-ahead too!
Salmon Crudo with Lemon Caper Sauce FAQ
The cure should stay on for no more than 30 minutes. Longer curing pulls out too much moisture and changes the texture from tender to firm and opaque.
Yes, as long as you use sushi-grade salmon from a trusted source and keep it properly chilled. The fish should be handled cold, cured briefly, and sliced right before serving.
Parts of it, yes. The sauce components and crispy shallots can be prepared ahead, but the salmon should always be cured and sliced just before serving for the best texture.
It tastes bright and briny with lemon and capers, but the olive oil and herbs soften it so it doesn’t overpower the fish.
Salmon Crudo with Lemon Caper Sauce
Equipment
- Small skillet
- slotted spoon
- paper towels
- Mixing bowl
- microplane or fine grater
- parchment paper
- meat mallet
- serving plate
Ingredients
Crispy Shallots
- 2 shallots, thinly sliced
- ¼ cup olive oil
The Salmon Cure
- 8 oz sushi-grade salmon
- 2 tablespoons kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon sugar
Lemon Caper Sauce
- 3 tablespoons capers
- 2 teaspoons caper brine
- ¼ cup finely chopped chives
- 2 to 3 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1 small lemon, zest and juice
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- salt and black pepper, to taste
For Assembly
- 1 cucumber, thinly sliced
- Japanese mayo
- jalapeno slices
- olive oil, for drizzling
Instructions
- Fry the Shallots: Heat the olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the sliced shallots and fry, stirring occasionally, until lightly golden and crisp, about 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to paper towels with a slotted spoon and set aside to cool.2 shallots, ¼ cup olive oil
- Cure the Salmon: Mix the kosher salt and sugar in a small bowl. Coat the salmon evenly with the mixture and place in the refrigerator to cure for 15 to 30 minutes.8 oz sushi-grade salmon, 2 tablespoons kosher salt, 1 tablespoon sugar
- Make the Sauce: Finely chop the capers until they form a coarse paste. Transfer to a mixing bowl and stir in the caper brine, chives, dill, Dijon mustard, honey, lemon zest, lemon juice. Slowly add the olive oil while whisking to emulsify. Taste and adjust with salt and black pepper.3 tablespoons capers, 2 teaspoons caper brine, ¼ cup finely chopped chives, 2 to 3 tablespoons chopped fresh dill, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, 1 teaspoon honey, 1 small lemon, 1 tablespoon olive oil, salt and black pepper
- Rinse and Slice: Rinse the salmon thoroughly under cold water to remove the cure, then pat completely dry. Using a sharp knife, slice the salmon thinly against the grain into 10 slices. Place them on a piece of parchment paper and add another parchment paper on top. With the flat side of a mallet, lightly pound them until they are about ⅛ inch thick.
- Assemble: Arrange the cucumber slices in overlapping rings on a large plate. Drizzle ½ of the sauce over it. Arrange the salmon slices in a fanned ring on top of the cucumbers and then spoon the rest of the sauce over the salmon. Add a small dollop of Japanese mayo on top of each salmon slice, a bit of the crispy shallots, a jalapeno slice. Drizzle a little bit of olive oil all over and that is it.1 cucumber, Japanese mayo, jalapeno slices, olive oil
Kitchen Cam
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
