ANTIPASTO

OF RAW FISH

This recipe, inspired by a magnificent dish I enjoyed at the restaurant Antiche Carampane, demands extra fresh fish. If you are in Venice, buy your fish from Marco Bergamasco in the Rialto fish market. Marco only sells excellent pescato, which is to say fish from the lagoon and the Adriatic. You will not find Mediterranean tuna on his stall (which is only allowed to be fished at certain times of the year), but Marco will tell you where to find it. Otherwise, ask for advice from your usual fishmonger.

SERVES 6 PREPARATION TIME: 30 MINUTES

500 g (1 lb 2 oz) umbrine, or use sea bream or other firm white fish

500 g (1 lb 2 oz) sea bass, or use hapuka or barramundi

250 g (9 oz) fresh tuna

6 live scampi (langoustines, red-claw crayfish or large prawns/shrimp)—if they are still alive when you get home, put them in the freezer for 10 minutes

¹/₂ a pomegranate

Mild olive oil

Juice of 1 lemon

Fleur de sel (fine sea salt)

1¹/₂ tablespoons horseradish cream, or 1 tablespoon grated horseradish root, mixed with mascarpone cheese

1 teaspoon chopped flat-leaf (Italian) parsley

Ask the fishmonger to fillet the fish. Slice thinly. Arrange a few slices of each fish and a shelled scampi on each plate. Remove the seeds from the pomegranate. Dress the fish with a little olive oil and a dash of lemon juice, season with salt and pepper. Scatter the pomegranate seeds over the fish, the horseradish cream on the tuna, and sprinkle with the parsley.

RECOMMENDATION

To make the fish easier to slice, place it in the freezer for about 10 minutes beforehand.

NOTE

Horseradish is a pungent root with digestive properties from the same family as the Japanese wasabi. It is called rafano in Italy. In Veneto, it’s called cren. It has been widely used from the time of the Austrian occupation of Venice in the late eighteenth century, especially with ham and bollito. Grated horseradish root (fresh or canned) is used, or horseradish sauce.