Steelhead Trout Crudo Recipe

Slice the fish

Pat the steelhead trout dry with paper towels. Using a very sharp knife, slice the trout across the grain into 1/8–1/4 inch (3–6 mm) thin slices. Arrange slices in a single layer on a chilled plate or platter.

Season lightly with 1/2 teaspoon of the sea salt and 1/8 teaspoon of black pepper immediately after slicing to start flavoring the fish.

Drizzle the 120 ml lime juice and 30 ml lemon juice evenly over the arranged slices. Add the optional 30 ml chilled fish stock or clam juice if using, and finish with 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil. Let the trout sit in the citrus for 4–6 minutes while you prepare the leche de tigre and garnishes. This timing lightly 'cooks' the surface without fully firming the fish.

Remove serrano stem and roughly chop the chile. If you prefer less heat, remove seeds. In a small blender or with an immersion blender, combine serrano, garlic clove, roughly chopped red onion, 10 g cilantro (leaves + tender stems), 30 ml lime juice, 30 ml cold water, 5 ml fish sauce and 1/4 teaspoon sea salt.

Pulse/blend briefly until mostly smooth but still slightly textured (about 10–15 seconds). Taste and adjust salt or lime: leche should be bright, slightly spicy and balanced. Strain through a fine mesh sieve into a bowl, pressing with the back of a spoon to extract liquid; discard solids. This yields a silky, spicy citrus liquid.

Reserve about 3 tablespoons of leche de tigre per serving to spoon over the plated fish. Keep chilled until ready to use.

Very thinly shave the 1/2 fennel bulb using a mandoline or a sharp knife. Aim for paper-thin ribbons so they sit delicately on the crudo. Toss the shaved fennel in a small bowl with a tiny pinch of salt (about 1/8 tsp) and 1/2 teaspoon of the lime juice used earlier to brighten; set aside.

Wash and spin the arugula dry. Keep it very lightly dressed: toss the 1 cup arugula with 1 teaspoon of the finishing olive oil and a light pinch of salt just before plating so leaves remain crisp.

If quicos are whole and very large, crush roughly in a bowl or with the bottom of a pan to make bite-sized crunchy pieces. Toast briefly in a dry skillet over medium heat 1–2 minutes just until aromatic (they may brown quickly) and cool. This enhances crunch and flavor. If using pre-toasted quicos, use as is.

Taste the citrus-marinated trout after the initial 4–6 minutes: if you prefer slightly less 'cooked' texture, remove excess citrus by gently blotting the underside of each slice with paper towel. Arrange the fish on chilled plates if not already.

To plate: place a small nest of lightly dressed arugula on each plate. Fan 6 oz (half of the total) of trout slices over the arugula. Spoon 2–3 tablespoons of strained leche de tigre over the trout, letting it pool slightly. Top with a few shaved fennel ribbons, scatter a tablespoon or two of toasted quicos across the fish for crunch, and scatter small cilantro leaves for brightness.

Finish each portion with a light drizzle (about 1/2 teaspoon) of extra-virgin olive oil, a small pinch of lime zest if using, and a final crack of freshly ground black pepper. Serve immediately.