A fresh, zesty no-cook fish recipe to get you through February

A crudo doesn’t feel so much like a recipe, but rather a coming together of beautiful, fresh ingredients. This is what cooking in February looks like to me.

Crudo by Elizabeth Hewson. Photo: Nikki To

Elizabeth Hewson

less than 2 min read

12:00AMFebruary 22, 2024

The Weekend Australian Magazine

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Crudo is Italian for raw, and you’ll find ­versions of this dish right up and down the ­Italian coastline. Eating it immediately transports me there – they say the best time to plan a holiday is right after you take a holiday. A crudo doesn’t feel so much like a recipe to me, but rather a coming together of beautiful, fresh ingredients. This is what cooking in February looks like to me.

Elizabeth Hewson’s crudo. Picture: Nikki To

Here I’ve arranged some raw tuna, kingfish and salmon, then adorned it with an umami-rich soy and bright, zesty lemon dressing. Red onion and capers are there for a crunch and pop. Whilst this makes a great no-fuss starter when entertaining, I love to treat myself to a simple, solo lunch. Simply adjust the quantities.

I’ll aim to head to the fish markets to pick up the fish but often I’ll roll down the road to my local Japanese and pick up some sashimi to bring home and put my crudo spin on. If you can’t get all three types of fish, use just the one – or the varieties that look best. The key with a crudo is that it must be fresh and high quality. The other important note is that it must be ­assembled at the last minute, as the lemon in the dressing will start to cook the fish.

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Crudo

Ingredients

• 20 pieces thinly sliced raw fish (salmon, kingfish and/or tuna)
• 2 slices of red onion, diced

Dressing

• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon soy sauce
• ½ teaspoon sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon capers, drained
• Zest of 1 lemon
• Salt and pepper

Method

1. Place the chopped onion into a bowl of water and let it sit for 10 minutes. This step helps to take the sting out of the raw onion. Drain and set aside. In jar, add lemon juice, olive oil, soy, sesame oil, salt and pepper. Shake well.
2. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary. When ready to serve, arrange fish on a plate. Evenly sprinkle over red onion and capers.
3. Spoon over half of the dressing and finish with zesting of lemon over the top. Serve with remaining dressing on the side. Serves 4 as a starter.