Saumon Fumé, Mousseline Citronnée & Caviar Tobiko Recipe

Prepare salmon

Place the smoked salmon slices on a platter or individual plates, overlapping slightly to create an attractive base.

Brush or drizzle the olive oil lightly over the salmon and squeeze the half lemon over the top for a bright finish.

Sprinkle the chopped fresh dill and freshly ground black pepper evenly over the salmon. Set aside at cool room temperature (do not refrigerate after dressing) while you make the mousseline.

Clarify workflow

This mousseline is an enriched, lemon-scented sabayon-like emulsion finished with whipped cream. Work over gentle heat and keep whisking to prevent curdling.

Set up a small saucepan of simmering water (bain-marie). Use a heatproof bowl that fits over the pan without touching the water. Add the egg yolks to the bowl and whisk briefly to combine.

Place the bowl over the simmering water and whisk the yolks continuously until they thicken slightly and become pale and ribbon-like, about 3–5 minutes. The temperature should stay below simmering to avoid scrambling (approx. 65–70°C / 150–158°F).

Remove the bowl from the heat. Immediately whisk in the lemon juice, lemon zest, salt, and white pepper until smooth.

Cut the cold butter into small cubes. Off the heat, whisk in the butter a few pieces at a time until fully incorporated and the mixture becomes glossy and smooth. If needed, return briefly over the warm bain-marie while whisking to finish emulsification — do not overheat.

Chill the bowl briefly (5–8 minutes) to bring the mousseline toward cool room temperature while you whip the cream.

In a separate chilled bowl, whip the cold heavy cream to soft peaks. Fold one-third of the whipped cream into the mousseline to lighten, then gently fold in the remaining cream until homogeneous, keeping the texture airy.

Taste and adjust seasoning with a pinch more salt or a drop more lemon juice if desired. Transfer the mousseline to a piping bag fitted with a round tip for neat portions, or leave in a small bowl for spooning.

Pipe or spoon a quenelle or small rosette (about 1 tablespoon) of lemon mousseline onto each portion of smoked salmon. If serving multiple slices per guest, place one mound per 2 slices.

Carefully place 1/2 teaspoon of tobiko on top of each mousseline mound. The pop and color of tobiko is a contrast to the pale mousseline.

Arrange microgreens or a small sprig of dill on or beside the mousseline for freshness and visual height.

Sprinkle a few flakes of sea salt over the salmon (lightly) and finish with a crack of black pepper if desired. Serve immediately with toasted brioche or blinis and lemon wedges on the side.

Recommend serving: keep chilled until the last moment and consume within 1–2 hours for best texture. Leftover mousseline should be refrigerated and used within 24 hours; smoked salmon best consumed same day.