I love a good pot of brothy beans simmering away on the stove! And in my opinion, spring is a perfect time to do so when it’s still cool and rainy outside.
One of my favorite methods involves simmering dried beans in a few rinds of parmigiano-reggiano cheese for a rich, umami flavor. They’re finished with peas, asparagus, and lots of lemon juice. These beans are a great weekend project and highly adaptable, depending on what you have at home.
For this week’s weeknight recipe, we’re going with a crudo! Thinly sliced raw salmon is dressed in a delicious sauce made with lime, orange, soy sauce, and a secret ingredient: brown butter! It's salty and savory, with citrus notes and a buttery texture from the fish. This salmon crudo is a wonderful light dinner or appetizer.
Scroll down for more details on the recipes, and let’s get cooking!
Weeknight Dinner: Salmon Crudo with Brown Butter, Citrus, & Soy
A few months ago, my husband came back from a work trip in New York ecstatic over a dish he enjoyed at the restaurant Chinese Tuxedo. It was a hamachi crudo with ponzu (a Japanese sauce with citrus and soy) and brown butter.
Brown butter? In crudo? I was intrigued. According to him, the addition of brown butter offered a nutty, savory flavor to the dish that balanced the salty-punchy flavors of the ponzu sauce.
One night, we purchased some sushi-grade salmon, and I tried multiple versions: one with brown butter and one without. And oh my god, the brown butter TRULY adds something transcendent to the dish.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
It’s fast. This quick salmon crudo dish comes together in just about 45 minutes.
It’s tasty. A citrusy-soy-sesame dressing with brown butter is both delicious and unique. It's light and refreshing, so it lets the fish really shine!
How to Purchase Sushi-Grade Salmon
Because this is a raw salmon dish, it's imperative that you source good quality sushi-grade salmon. Good salmon should smell relatively neutral, with a subtle ocean scent.
You can usually find options at Asian grocery stores, like Hmart or your local fishmonger. I highly recommend New Deal Fish Market if you're in the Boston area! I recommend a rich, oily fish like king salmon (Ora King is incredible) or Atlantic salmon.
TIP: Ask your fishmonger to remove the skin and any pin bones to make preparation easier! And if you're nervous, you can ask your fishmonger to slice it into individual pieces for you.
Serving suggestions: Serve alongside some simple garlicky sauteed bok choy and white or brown rice.
Grab the full recipe below. ↓
Weekend Project: One-Pot Brothy Beans
Dried white beans simmer in a flavorful Italian-inspired broth until tender; then the resulting brothy beans are served with peas, asparagus, and lemon.
Do I Need to Soak My Beans?
To soak or not to soak, that is the question! The answer? It depends. After several experiments, I've come to the following conclusions:
Fresh beans (that are within 1-2 years of harvest) will cook more evenly and quickly than dried beans, even without soaking. Older beans DO need to soak.
If you have the time, I recommend soaking your beans for a couple of hours, but if you're using fresh beans, you can definitely get away without it!
Do note that even fresh (unsoaked) beans will take longer to cook than pre-soaked beans, and they will require more water.
If you do soak your beans, salt the water first! It's a myth that salting beans makes them hard.
That’s all for this week. Have a great weekend!
-Karishma