Recipes

Tostada de Salmon

By: The Local Palate

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This tostada de salmon from Angelina Espinoza, Carlos Quesada, and Lupe Nanbo, of AltaToro in Atlanta combines a fluffy avocado mousse, rich crema fresca, and black bean purée for a flavorful and bright tostada.

recipe

yields

Serves 6

For the Mezcal-Cured Gravlax

3 cups salt
7 cups sugar
¾ cup pink peppercorn, crushed
1⅓ cups dried lavender, chopped
2 bunches cilantro, chopped
½ ounce bay leaves
Zest of 4 lemons
¼ cup roasted beet juice
¾ cup mezcal
6 salmon loin fillets

For the Avocado Mousse

Makes about 2 cups
3 medium avocados
½ cup of fresh cilantro leaves
1 small Serrano pepper
⅔ cup of cold water
¼ cup lime juice
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons salt

For the Crema Fresca

Makes about 1½ cups
1 cup heavy cream
¼ cup water
2 tablespoons sour cream or plain yogurt (optional, for tanginess)
Salt to taste

For the Black Bean Purée

Makes about 2 cups
1 cup dried black beans (or 2 cans of black beans, drained and rinsed)
3 cups water (if using dried black beans)
¼ cup water (if needed)
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste

For the Tostada de Salmon

2 tablespoons avocado mousse
1 small tostada
2 ounces mezcal-cured gravlax, cut into 4 slices
1 tablespoon crema fresca
4 pieces pickled red onion
1½ teaspoons black bean puree
½ teaspoon salmon roe
⅛ tablespoon sesame seeds for garnish
1 tablespoon microcilantro for garnish
¼ Michoacan-style salsa macha for garnish

Special equipment: Immersion blender

steps

Make the Mezcal-Cured Gravlax

In a bowl, combine all ingredients except salmon. Pour half into the bottom of a glass or ceramic baking dish. Set salmon fillets in dish and pour remaining beet mixture over top of fish.
Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 72 hours.

Make the Avocado Mousse

Pit avocados and scoop flesh into a mixing bowl. With an immersion blender, blend all ingredients until light and airy.

Make the Crema Fresca

In a bowl, combine the heavy cream and water. If using sour cream or yogurt, stir it in until well combined. Cover bowl loosely with a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap. Let mixture sit at room temperature for 12 to 24 hours, or until it thickens to desired consistency. The longer it sits, the thicker it will become.
Once thickened, refrigerate crema fresca for at least 2 hours before using. Stir well and add salt to taste before serving.

Note: Crema fresca will need to sit at least overnight and up to 24 hours.

Make the Black Bean Purée

If using dried black beans, rinse them under cold water and remove any debris. Place the beans in a large bowl and cover with water. Allow them to soak overnight or for at least 8 hours.
After soaking, drain the soaked black beans and rinse them again under cold water.
In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and sauté for 1-2 minutes, until fragrant.
Add the soaked black beans to the pot, along with 3 cups of water. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Cover the pot and simmer for 1-1.5 hours, or until the beans are tender. Add more water if needed to keep the beans submerged.
Once the beans are cooked, remove the pot from the heat. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the cooked black beans to a blender or food processor. Reserve some of the cooking liquid.
Purée the beans until smooth, adding additional water as needed to reach your desired consistency.
Season purée with salt and pepper, to taste. Stir well to combine and transfer to a bowl.
If using canned black beans instead, skip steps 1-4 and simply drain and rinse the canned beans before proceeding with step 6.

Make the Tostada de Salmon

On a small plate, spread ¼ tablespoon avocado mousse. Spread remaining mousse onto tostada; twist each piece of salmon and place separately on tostada to create 4 corners. Place 1 drop of crema onto each piece of salmon, followed by 1 piece of pickled onion.
Dollop black bean puree in center of tostada and top with salmon roe.
To serve sprinkle with sesame seeds and finish with microcilantro and salsa macha.

Date Published: 04.22.24