Happy New Year fellow foodies . May 2010 bring you and your loved ones everything you’ve been hoping for!

I’m usually not really good at realizing new year’s resolutions, that’s why I stopped making them a few years ago. This time is different, I do need to be more organized in 2010 in order to be able to keep posting at a regular pace. A whole load of work is ahead in a business project I’m part of, it should take most of my time this year. I’ll try to stick to more organization and see how it goes

Let’s get back to this salmon now. It’s been part of the appetizers I made  for New Year’s eve dinner and I must say we all enjoyed it. At first, I was planning on using salted soy sauce and pretty disappointed when I found out I didn’t have any. Well, now I can say I’ll do it again with sweet one. It tastes amazing with ginger!  I kept lime as a last ingredient to give this tartare a fresh taste. If you want to experiment you can also add the grated zest before marinating but don’t forget lime juice has to be added last if you don’t want your tartare to turn out being a ceviche!

This ginger and lime salmon tartare recipe is meant to be served in appetizer spoons or small verrines (glass cups) but if you wish to have it as a unique starter, count about 4.5 oz per serving and adapt the ingredients’ quantity accordingly.

Preparation time: 10 minutes – Marinating time: at least 30 minutes

Ingredients (for 6 servings as an appetizer)

15 oz (425 g) of salmon fillets (skinless, boneless)
2 spring onions
1-inch square of fresh ginger root (= 1 tablespoon grated)
1 non-treated lime
6 tablespoons of sweet soy sauce

Instructions

1/ Clean and chop spring onions.

2/ Peel and grate ginger.

3/ Rinse and dry salmon fillets. Cut them into small dices (around 1/2-inch square).

4/ Combine salmon, spring onions, ginger and sweet soy sauce. Cover and leave in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.

5/ Serve in Chinese soup spoons, small individual ramekins or glass cups leaving marinade in the plate.

6/ Rinse lime and grate zest over individual portions.

7/ Squeeze lime, add on top and serve tartare right away.

This baked eggs with salmon recipe is perfect for a brunch or a nice ‘entrée’. As a starter, it would also be great with a glass of good white wine. In French, we call them ‘oeufs cocotte’ which would be translated as ‘chick eggs’ (special thank to Clotilde from Chocolate & Zucchini for her great translation) . Once you’ve tried these ones, don’t hesitate to try new combinations. What about replacing salmon and chives by mushrooms and parsley?!

Preparation time: 5 minutes – Baking time: 6 to 8 minutes

Ingredients (for 4 servings)

4 eggs
7 oz (200 g) of smoked salmon chopped scraps
6 tablespoons of creme fraiche
2 tablespoons of small chives
4 slices of bread
Butter
Pepper

Instructions

1/ Preheat oven to 500° F (260° C/Th 9).

2/ Grease 4 ramekins with butter or margarine and chop small chives.

3/ Dispose salmon chopped scraps in the ramekins. Pour small chives on top keeping some aside for decoration. Add half a tablespoon of cream into each ramekin.

4/ Break one egg into each ramekin and top with creme fraiche and some pepper.

5/ Fill half of an ovenproof dish with boiling (or very hot water) and put ramekins on it. Bake in oven for 6 to 8 minutes depending on how you like your eggs cooked.

6/ Top with some more small chives and serve with toasted bread.

I love mixing lime with salmon, it gives it a great original taste. This recipe includes Japanese wasabi, you can adjust the amount you put in it according to your own taste. Don’t hesitate to add half of it, try the sauce then add the rest if you like it more spicy. When everything is poured, it’s too late to go back In general, when cooking, you should always trust your taste buds. It’s the best way to avoid a bad surprise on the table!

Preparation time: 25 mn

Ingredients (for 4 servings)

4 salmon fillets
4 spring onions
2 garlic cloves
10 basil leaves
1 orange (8 tbsp of juice)
1/2 lime (3 tbsp of juice)
4 tablespoons of sour cream (creme fraiche)
3 tablespoons of olive oil
1 to 2 teaspoons of wasabi
3/2 fl oz (10 cl) of water
Salt & pepper

Instructions

1/ Peel and clean onions. Slice them into circles.

2/ Peel and chop garlic.

3/ Clean and chop basil leaves. Keep 4 aside for decoration.

4/ Heat a pan over medium heat. Add oil and cook salmon for 3 mn on each side. Add salt and pepper.

5/ Mix sour cream with 2 tablespoons of orange juice. Add salt and pepper.

6/ Pour onion and garlic into the pan and leave for about 1 mn.

7/ Add lime juice and the orange juice you have left. Add water and take it to a boil. Then add sour cream mixture.

8/ Add wasabi and stir well.

9/ Add chopped basil, salt and pepper.

10/ Serve fillets with their sauce in 4 plates. Add a basil leaf on each salmon fillet and serve right away.

Perfect with: Rice, pasta, au gratin style potatoes, green asparagus…

One only appetizer spoons recipe won’t serve you much so we’ll keep on going for several posts . I told you possibilities were endless! You can use salmon chopped ’scraps’, they’re much cheaper and they do fine. All you have to do is mix apple with salmon and Greek yogurt. I don’t know if Greek yogurt is known (or available) in many countries but I found this little explanation on what it is. There is even a recipe if you’re ready to make your own. Granny Smith apples are perfect with salmon and give these appetizer spoons a very pleasant refreshing taste. They’ll be perfect with white wine.

Preparation time: 10 mn

Ingredients (for 10 spoons)

4 smoked salmon slices (or the equivalent in chopped ’scraps’)
1 Greek yogurt
1/2 Granny Smith apple
1/4 cup of lump-fish roe
2 tablespoons of olive oil
Salt & pepper

Instructions

1/ Peel, take center out and chop apple.

2/ Cut salmon into small pieces. Set some aside for decoration when spoons are filled.

3/ In a bowl, blend yogurt, salmon, apple dices, oil, salt & pepper.

4/ Fill spoons with the mixture and top with salmon and lump-fish roe.

See…It takes no time and I bet your guests will be impressed