Salmon and Sea Bream Tartare with Sel Fou, Yuzu, Soy, Avocado Cream and Wasabi Sesame Seeds

Salmon and Sea Bream Tartare with Sel Fou, Yuzu, Soy and Avocado Cream – Franco-Japanese Gastronomic Fusion
Discover the traditional recipe for Salmon and Sea Bream Tartare with Sel Fou, Yuzu and Avocado Cream, a contemporary creation combining Japanese refinement with the nobility of Atlantic products. This dish embodies the purity of marine flavors and the art of controlled raw preparation, balancing the minerality of Guérande sel fou with the freshness of yuzu.

Anecdote
「魚の命は塩と共に生きる」
“The life of the fish is prolonged with salt.”
— Ancient Japanese proverb

This saying perfectly illustrates the philosophy of this dish: salt, far from dominating, reveals the essence of the fish. The meeting of Breton sel fou and Japanese citrus symbolizes the union of two culinary refinement traditions.

Legend
It is said that a Breton fisherman who discovered Japan during a commercial voyage brought back an unknown citrus: the yuzu. Back in Guérande, he would have combined this citrus with his “sel fou” to preserve the raw fish caught offshore. According to legend, this gave birth to the first Franco-Japanese tartare.

Geographical origin and status

• Country: France / Japan

• Region: Brittany (Guérande) × Honshu (Kochi, Japan)

• Recipe evolution: Emerged in the 2000s with the “fusion food” trend, perfected through the widespread use of yuzu, artisanal soy, and Japanese marine seasonings. Today, it is part of refined, minimalist contemporary French gastronomy.

History
Tartare, as a raw fish preparation, originates from the ancient practices of Nordic and Japanese fishermen.
In France, the raw fish version appeared in the 1970s, first in Parisian brasseries with beef tartare adapted to fish.
But it was the encounter between Japanese chefs in Paris in the 1980s and French seafood that truly created this fusion.

Sel fou, meanwhile, is a Breton artisanal specialty from the Guérande peninsula. It combines coarse salt, paprika, rosemary, pink peppercorns, and cayenne. Initially used for preservation, it became a condiment with character.

Yuzu was introduced to Europe in the late 1990s thanks to chefs such as Pierre Gagnaire, Alain Ducasse, and Nobu Matsuhisa, pioneers of Franco-Japanese fusion.

Over time, tartare evolved: from a rustic, raw preparation to an aesthetic dish, symbolizing purity and mastery of raw cuisine.
The combination of salmon, sea bream, sel fou, and yuzu embodies this balance: mineral, acidic, fatty, and floral.

Today, this dish is an icon on French contemporary tables inspired by Japan, combining technical rigor, product respect, and gustatory finesse.

Emblematic chefs and contributions

• Nobu Matsuhisa (Tokyo / Los Angeles) – Pioneer of contemporary Japanese fusion, integration of yuzu and mirin in raw preparations.

• Joël Robuchon (Paris) – Elevation of tartare into culinary art, texture balance, and precise plating.

• Kei Kobayashi (Paris) – Marriage of Japanese citrus and raw fish in minimalist French aesthetics.

• Alexandre Couillon (Noirmoutier) – Enhancement of Atlantic seafood, working with salt and coastal herbs.

• Tetsuya Wakuda (Sydney) – Combination of sashimi with refined Western seasonings.

• Mauro Colagreco (Menton) – Mediterranean vision of raw seafood, uniting vegetal and iodine notes.

Dish description
The dish consists of three distinct layers creating visual and taste contrast:

1. Avocado cream: velvety and slightly acidic, smooth green base supporting the tartare.

2. Sea bream tartare: pearly cubes, delicate, lightly seasoned with sel fou and yuzu, soft and melt-in-mouth texture.

3. Salmon tartare: pink cubes, fattier, adding depth and creaminess.

Stacked presentation is made using a cylindrical mold, clearly showing each layer. Sesame seeds, chives, nori strips, and fruity touches (candied orange and strawberries) add texture and color, achieving a visual effect worthy of a starred restaurant.

Necessary utensils

• Sashimi knife or sharp filleting knife

• Hardwood cutting board

• Stainless steel mixing bowl

• Flexible spatula (maryse)

• Round or square mold

• Plastic wrap

• Probe thermometer

Ingredients (serves 4)

For the marinated salmon and sea bream

• 200 g ultra-fresh salmon fillet (skinless, boneless)

• 200 g ultra-fresh sea bream fillet (skinless, boneless)

• 50 g sel fou (coarse salt, paprika, rosemary, pink peppercorns, cayenne pepper)

• 1 tbsp black sugar Kuro Sato (or muscovado)

• Juice and zest of 1 fresh yuzu lemon

• 1 tbsp sesame oil

• Pinch of salt

For the avocado cream

• 2 ripe avocados

• 1 tbsp artisanal soy sauce

• 1 tbsp mirin

• 1 tsp toasted sesame oil

• Juice of 1 yuzu (or ½ lime)

• 1 shallot, finely chopped

• 1 tsp fresh grated ginger

• Small handful of chopped shiso

• ½ red chili, finely chopped

• 1 tbsp black sesame seeds

• 1 nori sheet, cut into thin strips

For garnish

• 1 tbsp natural sesame seeds

• 1 tbsp wasabi sesame seeds

• Fresh chives

• 1 slice candied orange

• Fresh strawberry slices

• Wild whitefish roe (löjrom)

Preparation and method

Preparation time: 3 h 30 (including marination)
Cooking time: None

1. Fish marination
Goal: flavor and tenderize the fish while keeping firmness and melt-in-mouth texture.

1. Mix salt and sugar: combine sel fou with Kuro Sato sugar.

2. Prepare fish: ensure fillets are ultra-fresh, dry, skinless, and boneless.

3. Apply marinade: evenly coat fillets, sprinkle yuzu zest for citrus aroma.

4. Rest in cold: cover with plastic wrap, refrigerate 3–4 h, turning halfway through.

5. Rinse and dice: remove excess salt/sugar, pat dry, cut into 5 mm brunoise, drizzle with sesame oil.

2. Avocado cream
Goal: create a creamy, slightly acidic base contrasting with the tartare.

1. Prepare avocados: halve, remove pit, mash lightly.

2. Season: add soy sauce, mirin, toasted sesame oil, yuzu juice, shallot, ginger. Mix until smooth but retain texture.

3. Aromatics: add shiso, chili, black sesame seeds. Adjust salt and spiciness as desired.

3. Garnish
Goal: add texture, flavor, and aesthetic contrast.

1. Toast sesame seeds lightly, mix with wasabi sesame seeds.

2. Slice fruits and herbs finely, reserve until plating.

4. Gastronomic plating

1. Place mold in center of plate, ensure stable base.

2. Avocado layer: 1–1.5 cm, smooth surface.

3. Sea bream tartare: 1 cm, gently press.

4. Salmon tartare: 1–1.5 cm, smooth top.

5. Decorative finishing: sprinkle seeds, chives, nori strips, fruits, and roe. Remove mold carefully.

5. Hygiene and food safety

• Use sashimi-grade fish, ideally frozen at -20 °C for 24 h to eliminate parasites.

• Maintain cold chain ≤ 4 °C.

• Wash and disinfect utensils before and after use.

• Do not leave tartare at room temperature > 15–20 minutes.

Versions and regional variations

• Mediterranean: olive oil, Menton lemon, basil.

• Contemporary: tartare in sphere with yuzu foam using siphon.

• Vegetarian: replace fish with marinated raw zucchini.

Tips and advice

• Cut fish into 5 mm cubes for melt-in-mouth texture.

• Avoid excessive marinade to prevent toughening.

• Prepare avocado cream last to prevent oxidation.

Service and accompaniments

• Plating: gastronomic, on plate.

• Accompaniments: mini blinis, nori chips, seaweed salad, or crunchy radishes.

Recommended drinks

• Sake: Junmai Daiginjo (floral and mineral notes, pairs well with yuzu)

• White wine: Loire Sauvignon or Alsace Riesling

• Non-alcoholic: iced Sencha green tea or yuzu infusion

Culinary glossary – condensed version

• Kuro Sato: Japanese unrefined brown cane sugar, deep caramelized flavor

• Shiso: Japanese herb, green for fish, red for coloring/salted plum

• Yuzu: fragrant Japanese citrus, mild acidity, add cold

• Sel fou: Breton grey salt + spices, lightly “cooks” fish

• Löjrom: Swedish whitefish roe, fine texture, mild iodized flavor, cold

• Wasabi: aromatic spiciness, here in sesame seeds for crunch and sharp note

• Mirin: sweet rice wine, adds silkiness and balance salt/acidity

• Toasted sesame oil: intense aroma, few drops enhance fish

• Nori: dried seaweed, iodized, crunchy, adds marine flavor

• Tartare: raw fish in brunoise, natural taste preserved

• Brunoise: uniform 2–5 mm cubes, aesthetic

• Gravlax: cold salt-and-sugar curing for firmness and flavor

• Yuzukosho: yuzu + green chili + fermented salt, final spicy note

• Emulsion: stabilized oil/water mixture (mirin/soy), silky texture

• Cold chain: raw products ≤ +4 °C for safety

• Mold: tool to structure and stack layers

• Gastronomic plating: harmony of colors, textures, and shapes

• Umami: savory taste, here soy + sesame + raw fish, enhanced by mirin and yuzu