‘Tartare’ is used in France to characterize a dish where the main (or all) ingredients are raw and cut fine, often marinated in spirits, citrus juice or vinegars. It can be made with meat, fish, vegetables or fruits.
INGREDIENTS:
to Serve 6
SEAWEED TARTARE:
2 tbsp dried Dulse or Karengo flakes
2 tbsp dried Sea Lettuce flakes
1 tbsp dried Wakame
1 tsp Smoked Kelp
1 shallots, chopped fine
Juice & zest of one lemon
1 tbsp capers
2 gherkin pickles, chopped fine
1 tbsp quality oil
CREPES/GALETTES:
2/3 cup + 1 tbsp buckwheat flour *
1/3 cup all-purpose flour *
1 2/3 cup milk (or soya, almond, rice)
3 eggs
2 tbsp butter, melted + additional to cook the crepes
¼ tsp salt
GARNISH:
Smoked salmon or gravlax sliced thin
Seaweed tartar
Chopped chives to taste
Lime cream: sour cream mixed with juice & zest of fresh lime
Freshly ground pepper
* alternatively get Organ’s buckwheat pancake mix and
METHOD:
FOR THE SEAWEED TARTAR:
Re-hydrate the Wakame in warm apple cider (or water) for 3-5 minutes. Put all the ingredients in a blender or food processor. ‘Pulse’ for a few minutes to get a coarse but homogeneous mixture.
Note: seaweed tartar will keep for a few days in a jar in the fridge.
FOR THE CREPES:
To prepare the crepe batter, whisk all ingredients vigorously until the batter is completely smooth; allow to rest in the refrigerator for 2 hours before making crepes.
To make the crepes, put a little butter in a crepe pan or a large skillet over low-medium heat. Add 3 tbsp of batter to the pan and swirl until the bottom of the pan is covered. Cook for about 1 minute, or until the crepe is slightly moist on top and golden underneath. Loosen the edges of the crepe. Slide a spatula under it, and gently flip it upside down into the pan. Cook for 1 minute and transfer to a warm plate. Repeat with the remaining batter.
To serve, lay one crepe on a plate and spread some lime cream, sprinkle with chopped chives. Top with slices of smoked salmon and garnish with seaweed tartar to taste (1 tsp).
Tips: Seaweed tartare is lovely on fresh vegetables like celery boats, pieces of colourful capsicum, endive leaves, red radicchio leaves, courgettes, cucumber & radish slices or half cherry tomatoes. Also lovely on ciabatta slices, crostinis or pita crisps.
Resting the pancake batter for two hours is necessary to get the consistency required for a very thin pancake, mainly it ensures even hydration of the ingredients and let them ‘relax’ for a more tender pancake.
