Seafood, Kitchen Remix

HOW TO PESTO

Making pesto is an art, not a science. You’re allowed to change it—to use less of one thing and increase the amount of another. Just make sure you taste it as you go, so you end up with something balanced. The key ingredients are herbs, nuts, cheese, garlic, and olive oil, but you should think of those in liberal terms and expand on them.

HERBS. The only stipulation is that these be fresh. You can easily retranslate herb as “leafy green thing” and branch out into the more flavorful salad greens like arugula (see this page), spinach, dandelion greens, or even the tops of root vegetables like beets, carrots, or turnips. Blanched broccoli or broccoli rabe will also yield good results. So will green peas. Try combining these verdant options in whatever proportions you like as well.

NUTS. The pesto-crazed among us have extended our definition of nuts to include seeds—pumpkin, sunflower, and sesame are as welcome as almonds, pine nuts, pistachios, hazelnuts, walnuts, macadamias, chestnuts, cashews, pecans, and peanuts. Toasting any of these will intensify their flavor. Nuts are oily, and the softer ones are more so. If you use too many, you can get an oleaginous pesto, which is as unpleasant as it sounds. It’s easily corrected: add more of the other ingredients and finish with less actual oil. Note that if you skip the nuts altogether, it’ll still be pesto.

CHEESE. Parmesan is the pesto regular. I wouldn’t include it in a seafood or fish dish, but you don’t have to listen to me. Any hard grating cheese will work—Pecorino Romano, Grana Padano, (aged) Asiago, (aged) Manchego, Cotija, Swiss Gruyère, (aged) Gouda, or Cheddar. Blending is permitted.

GARLIC. Anyone who can’t cope with garlic should just leave it out. It’s been said that the allium should be the last thing added to your pesto; when it’s overworked, it can get aggressively acerbic. I’ve found that blending it in at the last minute leaves me with huge, unprocessed pieces of garlic, which is way more offensive. So I add my garlic with the other herbs, and I try to process my pesto as quickly and minimally as possible.

OLIVE OIL. Does it have to be olive? No, but that’s the standard, and it’s used almost exclusively. As you get more experimental with the other ingredients, you may not appreciate this oil’s assertive flavor. Sub in a neutral oil if that’s your issue. Or try a complementary nut oil like almond, hazelnut, or walnut.

SEASONINGS. Lemon juice or zest brightens up pestos, and other types of citrus (or even vinegar) can do the same. Keep salt, ground pepper, and chili flakes on deck for the finishing touches.

Pesto can be applied to more than just your noodles. Spoon it onto roasted or grilled meats, poultry, and vegetables. Stir it into a bowl of beans, rice, or polenta. Swirl it into scrambled eggs, or top poached or fried eggs with it. Smear it onto sandwiches or, simpler still, toast. Whisk it into mayo for a hybrid condiment. Dress chicken salad with it.

To store, refrigerate your pesto in a sealed container for up to a week. You can freeze it for at least 6 months (in single-serving portions poured into an ice-cube tray placed in a resealable plastic bag) and up to a year (in a single sealed container). Just remember to wait before adding any cheese until you’re ready to use the pesto and it has thawed.

I apologize for whatever unintentional rabble-rousing the following statement causes, but here goes: gazpacho is overrated. People are quick to say it’s “so refreshing.” Two bites in, I’m bored. But there’s another, lesser-known Spanish soup that’s also blended with leftover bread and served chilled, and it’s underrated. Ajo blanco (“white garlic”) is fortified with almonds, lots of them, and nary a vegetable in sight. It’s typically garnished with plump grapes. This version comes with two surprises—plump grape tomatoes that have been candied to bring out their jammy fruitiness, and poached shrimp that lend texture and chew to the puree. You can serve the soup at room temperature or chilled. Conveniently, you can make all three components a day ahead and refrigerate them overnight.

½ cup sugar

Salt to taste

1 pound grape or cherry tomatoes (about 1½ pints)

1 dried bay leaf

½ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more as needed

12 medium to large shrimp, shelled and deveined

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

1½ cups plus 2 tablespoons ice water

1¼ cups slivered blanched almonds

3 medium cloves garlic, peeled

½ baguette, crusts removed, torn into pieces (2 cups)

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar

½ teaspoon honey

In a large sauté pan, bring 1 cup water, the sugar, and a pinch of salt to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Add the tomatoes and the bay leaf. Reduce the heat to low and simmer gently, turning the tomatoes once or twice, until cooked through and soft, but not collapsing, 45 to 50 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the tomatoes to a medium bowl, leaving the liquid in the pan.

Increase the heat to high and reduce the liquid in the pan by half. It will be syrupy and thick. Pour the liquid over the tomatoes and let them cool. Discard the bay leaf.

Meanwhile, bring 3 quarts water to a boil in a large pot over high heat. Salt the water as you would for pasta. Add the shrimp and cook until they just turn pink and opaque, about 1 minute. Drain and let cool completely. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Split horizontally.

Combine 1 cup of the ice water, the almonds, garlic, and bread in a food processor or blender and let sit until the bread is softened, 4 to 5 minutes. Pulse into a smooth puree. With the motor running, add the remaining ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons ice water, the oil, vinegar, and honey, and process until the soup is emulsified—it should be creamy and silky. Add ½ teaspoon kosher salt and pulse just to incorporate. Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed.

Ladle the soup into 4 bowls. Garnish each bowl with 6 shrimp halves and 3 or 4 candied tomatoes. Finish with a drizzle of olive oil. If you’d rather serve the soup cold, after blending, refrigerate it in a sealed container for at least 3 hours or overnight; it will thicken up a bit.

A protein, a vegetable, a starch—it’s a meal-planning formula as old as time, but one that welcomes strategic interpretation. Choose a starchy veg, like sweet green peas, and a vegetal starch, like celery root, also known as celeriac, though its ties to celery are just barely perceptible. Both benefit from and buffer salmon’s flavorful fattiness.

I can’t think of a time when I didn’t love peas. But I do know the first truly great pea dish I ever ate: my mom’s peas and prosciutto. Only later did I find out it’s a traditional Roman preparation and not the modern novelty I’d imagined. I asked for the recipe so I could cook the cured pork–flecked peas and eat the whole batch myself in one sitting. I’d tell you to do the same, except those peas are intended as a side dish, not a complete meal. I’ve transformed the original so you can enjoy it for dinner without additional accompaniments. Instead of those nubs of prosciutto, you’ve got large tiles of spice-crusted salmon and casually smoky pieces of celery root.

CELERY ROOT

2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 cup (½-inch-diced) peeled celery root

¼ cup low-sodium chicken broth

1 small sprig fresh oregano

⅛ teaspoon salt

⅛ teaspoon smoked paprika

PEAS

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 cloves garlic, peeled

1 (10-ounce) package frozen peas, thawed

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Salt to taste

SALMON

½ teaspoon flake salt, plus more to taste

1½ teaspoons celery seeds

1½ teaspoons cumin seeds

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 (6-ounce) skinless center-cut pieces of salmon fillet, each about 1¼ inches thick

1½ tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 lemon, cut into wedges

Fresh oregano leaves

Make the celery root. Heat a large cast-iron skillet on the stove, gradually increasing the heat from low to medium. Add the olive oil. When it’s shimmering, add the celery root, chicken broth, and oregano. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the celery root is beginning to soften and the broth has evaporated, 5 to 6 minutes. Season with salt and smoked paprika. Continue to cook, tossing frequently, until tender, using a spatula to scrape up and reincorporate any brown bits stuck to the skillet, 10 to 12 minutes more. Discard the oregano sprig and transfer the celery root to a small bowl.

Make the peas. Wipe out the skillet and return it to the stove over medium heat. Add the olive oil. When it’s shimmering, add the garlic and cook, stirring until lightly browned, 3 to 4 minutes. Discard the garlic and return the prepared celery root to the pan, quickly tossing it a few times, then add the peas. Stir to combine, then add the pepper and stir again. Continue cooking until any residual water evaporates and the peas pick up some color and char slightly, 3 to 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cover. Cook for 5 minutes more to develop the flavors. Season with salt to taste. Transfer the peas and celery root to a serving platter or wide bowl, and cover with aluminum foil to keep warm.

Make the salmon. Using a mortar and pestle, crush together the flake salt, celery seeds, and cumin seeds, and transfer the mix to a shallow dish. Stir in the pepper to combine. Place the salmon, top down, on the spice mix, pressing the fish into the seasoning to coat.

Wipe out the skillet again and return it to the stove over high heat. Add the oil. When it is just smoking, add the salmon, one piece at a time, seasoned-side down. Cook until the crust is golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Flip the salmon, reduce the heat to medium, and sear until just cooked, 3 to 4 minutes more for medium-rare.

Transfer the salmon to a cutting board and let it rest for 5 minutes before slicing each piece into 1-inch tiles. Place the tiles on top of the peas and celery root. Squeeze lemon juice to taste over the salmon and scatter a few fresh oregano leaves on top. Finish with flake salt to taste.

This hands-off technique for roasting salmon ensures that the fish, no matter how thick, will always cook evenly and never emerge pathetically dry and flaky. The Green Pea Mash is my version of what the Brits call mushy peas. The celery root preparation is loosely—very loosely—based on the French dish pommes Anna, a crustless tart of the layered, thinly sliced tuber cooked in fantastically copious amounts of melted butter. This is not as orderly or comely, and celery root doesn’t get crispy the way taters do; instead, it’s got a homely aspect and a whole lot of roasted, buttery sweetness.

SALMON

1 teaspoon olive oil

16 large fresh basil leaves

8 large fresh mint leaves

1 small shallot, finely sliced

Zest of 1 lemon

4 (6-ounce) thick skin-on salmon fillets

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

½ cup crème fraîche

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

¼ teaspoon salt, plus more to taste

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives

CELERY ROOT

2 small celery roots (1½ to 1¾ pounds), peeled and sliced ¼ inch thick

6 tablespoons (¾ stick) unsalted butter

½ teaspoon flake salt, plus more to taste

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

GREEN PEA MASH

2 (10-ounce) packages frozen peas, thawed

¼ cup roughly chopped fresh basil leaves

¼ cup roughly chopped fresh mint leaves

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons crème fraîche

1¼ teaspoons salt, plus more to taste

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Cook the salmon. Lightly grease a medium baking dish with ½ teaspoon of the olive oil. Make 4 small “patches” (that match the dimensions of the salmon fillets) of the herbs (2 basil leaves plus 1 mint leaf), a few shallot rings, and lemon zest. Place each piece of salmon on a patch, skin-side down. Rub the tops of the fillets with the remaining ½ teaspoon olive oil and lightly sprinkle each with kosher salt (about ⅛ teaspoon total) and pepper. Top each with another sprinkling of lemon zest and a few more shallot rings, then cover with the remaining basil and mint, as above. Roast the salmon until a fork inserted into the thickest part yields or an instant-read thermometer reaches 120ºF for medium-rare, up to 35 minutes (see Cooking Note). Remove the salmon and let cool to room temperature. Discard all the herbs and shallot. Increase the oven temperature to 450ºF.

Meanwhile, make the celery root. Cut the celery root slices into pieces 1 to 1½ inches wide; don’t worry if they’re not uniform in shape. Melt 4 tablespoons of the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat.

Place a large cast-iron skillet on the stove over low heat for 5 minutes to warm. Remove it from the heat and add half of the melted butter, using a brush to spread it evenly over the bottom of the pan. Working quickly and starting in the center of the skillet, arrange enough of the celery root to fill the bottom of the pan in a single layer. It should look a bit like a messy puzzle with some cracks between the pieces. Brush the celery root layer with half of the remaining melted butter. Sprinkle with ¼ teaspoon of the flake salt and pepper to taste. Place the rest of the celery root on top of the others, creating a second layer. Brush the top with the remaining melted butter and sprinkle with the remaining ¼ teaspoon flake salt and pepper to taste.

Place the skillet over high heat. When you hear the butter begin to sizzle, after about 2 minutes, transfer the pan to the oven and bake until the vegetables have begun to brown around the edges, 20 to 25 minutes.

Meanwhile, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter in the small saucepan over medium heat. Remove the skillet from the oven and pour the melted butter over the celery root. Return the skillet to the oven and bake until the top layer of celery root is golden and the bottom layer’s base has caramelized and turned a warm brown color, 8 to 10 minutes more. Transfer the celery root to a paper-towel-lined plate to drain any excess butter. Sprinkle with a pinch or two of flake salt.

While the celery root is in the oven, make the green pea mash. Bring ½ cup water to a boil in a large pot over high heat. Lightly salt it. Add the peas and boil for 2 minutes to cook through; drain. Transfer the peas to a food processor. Add the basil, mint, olive oil, crème fraîche, 1¼ teaspoons salt, and the pepper. Process together until a thick, slightly grainy puree forms. Taste and adjust for salt as needed.

Make the sauce for the salmon. In a small bowl, stir together the crème fraîche, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, and salt. Add the chives and stir again to incorporate. Season with salt to taste.

To serve, divide the salmon among 4 plates and top each fillet with a dollop of the sauce. Spoon some of the celery root and green pea mash alongside.

There was a time when tuna tartare was a strange, suspect dish—another menu stunt chichi restaurants pulled to alert the glam squad that this is where the action was. Soon it became a trend; now it’s as common as a California roll or fish taco. And it’s not just for tuna anymore; more flavorful and buttery, salmon is equally popular in this preparation. It’s a breeze to make. I ignore the fancy garnishes and adulterate mine with popping green peas and pickled celery root. Quickly firming up the salmon in the freezer will make it easier to cut. While it’s in there, you can ready the other ingredients. I can’t resist stirring honey mustard into the dish and recommend you do the same, starting with a tablespoon.

1 pound filleted skinless sushi-grade salmon

¾ cup thawed frozen peas

½ cup drained Pickled Celery Root (recipe follows)

1½ tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill

2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives

1 tablespoon neutral oil

¼ teaspoon flake salt, plus more to taste

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste

Lemon zest to taste

Honey mustard to taste (optional)

Thick-cut potato chips, pita chips, and/or toasted and olive oil–drizzled country bread, for serving

Meanwhile, in a small saucepan over medium heat, cook the peas just to warm through. Remove the pan from the heat and let the peas cool.

Transfer the salmon to a cutting board, cut it into ½-inch cubes, and place it in a large bowl. Add the cooled peas, pickled celery root, lemon juice, dill, chives, and oil. Stir to incorporate. Add the flake salt and pepper, sprinkle some lemon zest over the mixture, and stir to combine, tasting and adjusting the seasonings as needed. If you want, add honey mustard, starting with 1 tablespoon; if needed, add more to taste.

Transfer the tartare to a serving bowl and serve immediately with your choice of accompaniments.

In a small saucepan, combine the vinegar, sugar, salt, lemon peel, and 1½ tablespoons water, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring to dissolve.

Pour the hot liquid over the celery root and use a smaller bowl or plate on top to submerge it. Let it cool to room temperature.

Remove the weight, cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 1 hour. At this point, the pickles are ready. If you want to let their flavors deepen or are making them in advance, you can transfer them to a sealed container and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.

	SQUID (CALAMARI)	CORNMEAL	PEPPERS
CHARACTER	Mild, silky, firm	Sweet, grainy, versatile	Sweet, cleansing, crisp
SUBSTITUTE	Octopus, cuttlefish, shrimp, mussels, extra-firm tofu	Semolina, ground oats, ground tortilla chips, corn flour	Beets, carrots, leeks, tomatoes, zucchini
TIP	Sauté squid quickly or braise it; anything in between gives you rubber.	Grits are coarse-ground cornmeal; polenta can be made from medium- or coarse-ground cornmeal.	Red is the sweetest; yellow, orange, brown, and purple aren’t far behind. Green is bitter.
COMPLEMENTS	Garlic, tomatoes, olives, chilies, citrus, sherry, olive oil, pasta, rice, pine nuts, chickpeas, sausage	Corn, tomatoes, chives, onions, buttermilk, seafood, bacon	Butternut squash, onions, tomatoes, eggplant, zucchini, corn, jicama, raisins, chickpeas, hazelnuts, anchovies, tuna, bacon, steak

	CRABMEAT	MEYER LEMON	NORI
CHARACTER	Subtle, sweet, flaky	Floral, acidic, thin skinned	Briny, smoky, crisp
SUBSTITUTE	Lobster, crayfish, shrimp	Other types of lemon, lemon plus orange, yuzu	Korean roasted seaweek (i.e., kankoku nori in Japanese or kim in Korean)
TIP	Refrigerated fresh lump crab is best, and most fishmongers stock it, but canned will do.	When Meyers aren’t available, try regular lemons, but use less—they’re larger and sharper.	Blend it into sauces and salad dressings, or use it as a garnish to jack up flavor.
COMPLEMENTS	Herbs, asparagus, avocado, scallion, grapefruit, passionfruit, coconut, ginger, capers, chilies, butter, bacon	Herbs, asparagus, dark leafy greens, vanilla, caramel, pasta, mascarpone, goat cheese, pistachios, almonds, hazelnuts, seafood	Salads, soups, rice, pasta, seafood

	SHRIMP	TOMATO	ALMOND
CHARACTER	Briny, sweet, firm	Sour, sweet, juicy	Mild, sweet, crunchy
SUBSTITUTE	Lobster, crayfish, crab, squid, scallop	Grapes (for grape or cherry tomatoes); canned diced tomatoes (for chopped fresh tomatoes)	Pistachio, peanut, cashew, macadamia nut
TIP	Don’t knock frozen shrimp. Thaw in a bowl under cold running water before using.	Cherry tomatoes are available year-round and are usually sweeter than off-season regular tomatoes.	Replace up to 20 percent of flour in batters with ground almond meal for an improved flavor.
COMPLEMENTS	Herbs, asparagus, artichokes, green peas, corn, citrus, garlic, coconut, white wine, capers, pasta, rice, beans	Balsamic vinegar, fish sauce, lemon, saffron, ginger, sesame, capers, butter, miso, rice, seafood	Zucchini, bell peppers, cauliflower, fruit, coconut, ginger, sesame, caramel, chocolate, oats, rice, seafood, chicken, lamb

	SALMON	PEAS	CELERY ROOT
CHARACTER	Oily, meaty, flaky	Starchy, sweet, grassy	Nutty, earthy, parsley
SUBSTITUTE	Arctic char, bluefish, striped bass	Carrots, spinach, sweet bell peppers, corn, adzuki beans, chickpeas, lentils	Parsnip, parsley root, potato, salsify, rutabaga, sunchoke
TIP	Splashing salmon in a solution of kosher salt and sake for 15 seconds removes fishiness.	For most recipes, frozen peas are just as good as, if not better than, fresh.	To peel the knobby vegetable, lop off the bottom and then slice off the skin in vertical strokes.
COMPLEMENTS	Leek, scallion, ginger, lemongrass, asparagus, avocado, dark leafy greens, fennel, citrus, coconut, sesame, miso, pistachio	Mushrooms, onions, sun-dried tomatoes, rice, pasta, heavy cream, eggs, ricotta, shellfish, halibut, veal, lamb, bacon, prosciutto	Parsley, mushrooms, horseradish, apples, chestnuts, mustard, walnuts, heavy cream, Gruyère, Parmesan, veal, bacon