Gulf Snapper Crudo with Satsuma, Chili and Benne Seeds

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

A no-cook Southern-leaning crudo: paper-thin slices of sashimi-grade snapper fanned on a cold plate, then dressed at the very last second with satsuma and lime, cane vinegar, sliced Fresno chili, good olive oil and toasted benne (sesame) seeds. The whole dish lives or dies on sourcing and knife work — buy the best fish you can find, chill it firm, slice against the grain, and spoon the dressing over as you carry the plate to the table.

Ingredients

• 12 oz sashimi-grade red snapper, hiramasa or fluke loin, skinless and pin-bone free
• 1 tsp flaky sea salt, for finishing

• 1 satsuma or small navel orange
• 1 lime
• 2 tsp cane vinegar or unseasoned rice vinegar
• 1/2 tsp sorghum syrup or honey
• 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, best quality
• 1 Fresno chili, very thinly sliced, seeds removed
• 1/4 tsp fine sea salt

• 1 tbsp benne seeds or white sesame seeds
• 1 inner celery rib with leaves, shaved paper-thin
• 2 tbsp small mint or cilantro leaves
• cracked black pepper
• saltine crackers or grilled bread, for serving

Instructions

1. Buy the fish the day you plan to serve it. Ask the counter specifically for sashimi- or sushi-grade fish and tell them you are eating it raw; you want a center-cut loin piece that smells like clean seawater, with flesh that looks translucent and springs back when pressed. Keep it cold on the ride home — ask for a bag of ice.
2. Toast the benne seeds in a dry skillet over medium heat, shaking constantly, for 2 to 3 minutes until they smell nutty and turn pale gold. Slide them onto a plate immediately so they stop cooking, and set aside.
3. Put four salad plates in the refrigerator to chill. Pat the fish dry with paper towels, wrap it loosely in a fresh paper towel, and set it on a plate in the freezer for 12 to 15 minutes. You want the exterior firm and cold but not frozen — this is what lets you cut clean, thin slices.
4. Make the dressing base: grate 1/2 teaspoon of zest from the satsuma and 1/4 teaspoon from the lime into a small bowl. Squeeze in 3 tablespoons satsuma juice and 1 tablespoon lime juice. Whisk in the cane vinegar, sorghum, and 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt until the sorghum dissolves, then whisk in the olive oil in a slow stream. Stir in the sliced Fresno chili and refrigerate. Do not add the fish to this — it is spooned over at the last moment so the citrus never has time to cure and cloud the flesh.
5. Shave the celery on a mandoline or with a vegetable peeler into paper-thin slices and drop them into ice water for 10 minutes to curl and crisp; drain well and pat dry just before plating.
6. Slice the fish: set the chilled loin on a dry board and identify the direction of the muscle lines. Using the longest, sharpest knife you own, cut across those lines (against the grain) at a slight 30-degree angle, drawing the blade through in one smooth pull rather than sawing. Aim for slices about 1/8 inch thick — roughly 6 to 8 slices per plate. Wipe the blade between cuts.
7. Fan the slices in a single overlapping layer on the cold plates, leaving a little space between pieces so the dressing can pool. Work quickly and do not stack; the fish should never sit at room temperature for more than a few minutes.
8. Seconds before serving, whisk the dressing again and spoon 1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons over each plate, making sure a few chili slices land on top. Scatter with the celery, mint or cilantro leaves, and toasted benne seeds, then finish with flaky salt and a little cracked black pepper. Carry the plates to the table immediately with saltines or grilled bread alongside.

Chef's tips

Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

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