Recipes

Whitefish Crudo with Citrus, Mango, Purslane, Pickled Fresno Chiles, and Chile Oil

Chris Newstrom

Churn, Federal Pizza, Joyride Taco House, Postino WineCafe, and Windsor, Phoenix

Ingredients

Chile Oil:

  • 2 habanero chiles, seeds removed
  • 1/4 cup canola oil
  • Pinch of sea salt

Pickled Red Fresno Chiles:

  • 1/2 cup red Fresno chiles, sliced very thinly and seeds removed
  • 1/2 cup rice wine vinegar
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 small bay leaf

Citrus Dressing:

  • 1/4 cup orange juice
  • 2 tablespoons lime juice
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon minced white onion
  • 1 small cloves garlic, thinly sliced
  • 1/8 teaspoon sea salt

Crudo:

  • 4 to 5 slices whitefish (approximately 2 ounces), 1/8 inch thick
  • 1 tablespoon citrus dressing
  • 1/2 teaspoon Maldon sea salt
  • 3 to 4 drops chile oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 heaping tablespoon diced mango
  • 5 pickled red Fresno chile coins 
  • 5 purslane leaves 

Method

Make the chile oil: wash the habaneros and remove seeds and stems. Place the chiles in a blender with the canola oil and sea salt and blend until smooth. Store in the fridge for 12 to 18 hours. Remove from the fridge and strain though cheesecloth very slowly, without squeezing, until the oil has passed through, approximately 20 to 30 minutes. Transfer into a squeeze bottle.

Make the pickled Fresno chiles: combine all ingredients except for the chiles in a pot and bring to a boil. Remove it from the heat and let it cool for 5 minutes. Once cool, add the sliced chiles to the liquid and place in the refrigerator. Marinate overnight.

Make the citrus dressing: whisk all ingredients together and let sit for 2 hours. Strain out the garlic and onions and transfer the dressing to a squeeze bottle.

Plate the crudo: lay the sliced whitefish on a plate and drizzle with citrus dressing. Sprinkle Maldon sea salt on top of the fish and add 3 or 4 drops of chile oil to the plate. Drizzle with the olive oil and arrange the diced mango, pickled Fresno chiles, and purslane leaves on the plate. 

Yield

1 serving