Salmon Sashimi Salad with Yuzu Vinaigrette

Fresh salmon combined with cucumber and green apple with savoury bites of crispy salmon skin and garlic chips tied together with tangy yuzu vinaigrette. A refreshing starter to get all your friends talking tastebuds moving.

Why I love Salmon Sashimi Salad with Yuzu Vinaigrette

I am not sure if you have gathered from my previous recipes but my family is a big fan of Japanese cuisine. A BIG fan.

Whenever I ask my children what they would like to have for dinner, sushi would generally be the one of the first things they shout. As much as we love it, having sushi or sashimi everyday is not really possible.

To curb their cravings for Japanese food or raw fish, I have a few easy Japanese-inspired recipes up my sleeve that I can whip up. From silky udon noodles with hot dashi broth, DIY poke bowl and this salmon sashimi salad, I know they will devour in seconds.

You can try our Marinated Japanese Mushroom Salad or our Japanese inspired Prawn and Fennel Salad with Yuzu Jam Dressing.

We love fresh fish and combined with cucumber, green apple, capers and a tangy yuzu vinaigrette, this is a super refreshing sashimi salad to get the taste buds moving.

You can definitely serve this raw salmon salad without the avocado mash or crispy salmon skin but both these elements create a more sophisticated salad perfect for dinner party entertaining.

What Is Sashimi?

Originating from Japan, Sashimi is thinly sliced raw fish (or sometimes raw meat) and served with tamari (soy) as a dipping sauce. The word sashimi literally translates to “pierced body” – possibly referring to the knife piercing the fish.

The purpose of sashimi is to enjoy the natural freshness of the fish as is, therefore it is traditionally served at the beginning of a meal before other flavours affect the palate.

What Is The Difference Between Sushi And Sashimi?

We sometimes do refer to sushi and sashimi as the same kind of Japanese raw fish dish but in truth sushi and sashimi are quite different.

Sashimi is traditionally not served with other ingredients. No rice, just thinly sliced raw fish.

Whilst sushi does not always mean raw fish. It is referring to the vinegared rice that is mixed with other ingredients which of course may include raw fish such as salmon and tuna with salmon sashimi being the most popular.

Sushi can also include other cooked ingredients like vegetables, egg, shellfish etc. And because it is served on top of vinegared rice, it is considered more a part of the main meal versus sashimi is typically served as an appetiser.

What Is Sashimi Grade Salmon?

Ok, I am no expert in selecting fresh fish. For me, I give my fishmonger full trust to tell me which fish I can consume raw.

Sashimi / sushi grade labelled fish is there to help you but in fact most fish can be consumed raw if you know how to prepare it. Therefore if you are ever unsure, check with your fishmonger.

For this raw salmon salad, you need to purchase fresh salmon fillets that are suitable for sashimi or sushi.

Even though the Yuzu Vinaigrette will “cook” the fish slightly with the acid in the dressing, essentially the fish in the salad is raw therefore you need to make sure your salmon is fresh.

Have you ever tried curing salmon? It’s incredibly easy and you may just like our stunning Beetroot Cured Salmon Salad with Black Fish Roe.

How to Make Salmon Sashimi Salad with Yuzu Vinaigrette

How to Cut Salmon Sashimi

I bought salmon fillets with the skin on as I wanted to make crispy salmon skin as a topping but if you prefer not to have skin, you can buy skinless salmon fillets and omit the crispy salmon skin from the salad.

This raw salmon salad works perfectly fine without the crispy salmon skin but it adds another layer of crunchy texture and looks pretty spectacular on top!

On a clean surface, place salmon fillet skin side down.

Starting on the thinner side of the fillet, use a sharp knife and slice through the flesh until you hit the skin.

Then slip your knife between the flesh and skin and start slicing the skin off.

At the same time, hold onto the skin that has just been freed and pull in the opposite direction as you are slicing. This helps with slicing as close as possible to the skin without removing too much flesh.

Continue slicing to the other end until the skin has been removed. Place skin aside for later.

Now, cut the salmon fillet into small cubes. I would say roughly 1cm in size. Set aside for assembly. If it is a warm day, I would place salmon cubes into the fridge to keep cool.

How To Make Crispy Salmon Skin In The Oven

Preheat oven to 220°C or 400°F, line tray with baking paper.

Place salmon skin with the scale side up on the oven tray. Sprinkle with sea salt.

Roast salmon skin in the oven for 8-10 minutes or until golden and crispy. Remove from the oven and set to cool down.

When cool, break salmon skin into smaller pieces to serve.

How To Make Garlic Chips

Finely slice garlic cloves.

Heat avocado oil in a fry pan over medium heat.

Add sliced garlic and shallow fry. Keep moving garlic slices around to avoid burning. Fry until golden brown which will take 2-3 minutes.

Remove from oil and place on paper towel to absorb excess oil.

Prepare the Salad

Finely dice cucumber, green apple and red shallot.

Remove capers from the jar ready for assembly.

Cut avocado in half and remove stone.

Scoop out avocado flesh into a bowl. Add a squeeze of lime juice and season with a pinch of salt. The lime juice will add flavour but also stop avocado from going brown.

Using a fork, mash avocado into a fine consistency. Ok, not going to pretend I achieved a super fine avocado puree especially with just a fork!

We are not in a fine dining restaurant so whatever consistency you can achieve with your fork is fine just as long it is not too lumpy!

How to Make Yuzu Vinaigrette

Yuzu is popular for its aromatic tangy flavours. You can’t really eat the fruit but the juice is deliciously refreshing and fragrant.

Yuzu juice can be found bottled at large Japanese or Korean grocery stores. If you can’t find it, replace it with lime juice.

In a small bowl, stir together yuzu juice, tamari and avocado oil. Add grated ginger and season with black pepper. Mix well until combined.

How to Assemble Sashimi Salad

There are two ways to serve the raw sashimi salmon salad.

You can serve individual portions as a refreshing appetizer at a dinner party or you can place on a large plate where everyone can scoop their own portions. Whatever works for you. I’ll share how I served it as individual portions.

In the large mixing bowl, place salmon cubes, cucumber, apple, red shallot and capers. Add yuzu vinaigrette and mix well together.

On individual plates, spread avocado mash on the plate.

Scoop salmon sashimi salad mixture into a small ramekin and turn upside down onto the plate. Remove the ramekin.

Scatter crispy salmon skin and garlic chips on top and serve.

If you are planning to serve on a large sharing plate, which I did for my kids, use a long rectangular plate. Spread avocado mash along the length of the plate and tumble salmon sashimi salad on top. Then scatter crispy salmon skin and garlic chips on top.

Easy to serve but still presents with an elegant feel.

So many layers of texture and flavours in one salad. Fresh and light with salmon, cucumber and green apple together with savoury bites of crispy salmon skin and garlic chips on a bed of creamy avocado mash and tied together with tangy yuzu vinaigrette.

An impressive starter to get all your friends talking and licking their plates.

That’s all!

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