The saying goes, “we taste first with our eyes”, meaning we find certain colours and textures of food delicious even before actually taste them. Not only are colourful fruits and vegetables appetizing and pretty to look at, but they are full of the nutrients our bodies need to stay healthy and energetic, hence the other saying, “a colourful plate is a healthy plate”.
Here we share a recipe from Boulevard Kitchen & Oyster Bar that offers pops of bright colour along with delicate flavours. This recipe is one of 90 from 45 of Vancouver’s best restaurants — including Fable, Tacofino, Cafe Medina, Hawksworth and the Botanist — that are featured in the upcoming book Vancouver Eats by Joanne Sasvari. Stay tuned for a book launch this October celebrating the innovative chefs who have put Vancouver on the culinary map. In the meantime, we encourage you to embrace colour in your kitchen and on your plate.
Boulevard Kitchen & Oyster Bar’s
Citrus-Cured Hamachi with Hearts of Palm, Crème Fraîche and Yuzu Vinaigrette
Hamachi, also known as Japanese amberjack or yellowtail, is a highly prized fish in Japanese cuisine. At Boulevard, Alex Chen cures it lightly with citrus flavours, making a delicate and delicious appetizer.
Serves 2
Hamachi
1 cup kosher salt
Grated zest of 1/2 lime
Grated zest of 1/2 lemon
Grated zest of 1/4 orange
1 (5-oz) sashimi-grade hamachi fillet
Yuzu vinaigrette
2 Tbsp soy sauce
2 tsp yuzu juice (available at Fujiya)
1 small shallot, finely chopped
1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Assembly
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/2 ripe avocado, sliced
10 canned hearts of palm, thinly sliced
1 Tbsp crème fraîche (or 1/2 Tbsp sour cream mixed with 1/2 tsp heavy (36%) cream)
1 orange, skin and pith removed and segmented
4 to 6 red mustard greens
4 to 6 celery leaves, chopped
2 to 3 radishes, thinly sliced
Hamachi
Mix salt and citrus zests in a bowl. Cover both sides of hamachi with mixture and set aside for 8 minutes. Rinse under cold running water and pat dry. Set aside.
Yuzu vinaigrette
In a small bowl, combine soy sauce, yuzu juice, shallot and oil and whisk. Season with pepper.
Assembly
Slice hamachi and arrange on 2 plates. Season with salt and pepper.
Carefully place avocado slices and hearts of palm on top of hamachi. Top with crème fraîche and orange segments. Garnish with mustard greens, celery leaves and radish slices. Spoon yuzu vinaigrette around hamachi and serve.
Recipe excerpted from Vancouver Eats by Joanne Sasvari. Photographs by Kevin Clark. Copyright 2018 by Joanne Sasvari, recipes copyright by individual restaurants. Excerpted with permission from Figure 1 Publishing. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.