Raw Norwegian salmon salad from Bizerca Bistro

Bizerca, one of my favourite Cape Town restaurants, has recently been awarded the title of ‘best bistro’ in the 2011 Eat Out DStv Food Network Restaurant Awards. It’s so well deserved.

The raw Norwegian salmon salad with goat’s cheese is one of their signature dishes. Another is their braised pig trotter with seared scallop, truffle oil, and petite salad, and both these items remain as permanent features at this wildly popular eatery. In addition to these classic menu items, Bizerca presents a daily bistro-style chalkboard menu with a wide selection of dishes including some of Laurent’s offal specialties. He is French after all.

We went for dinner last week and ate the Duck breast, nectarine, and ginger tart tatin with a spinach ginger sauce. Delicious! We also tried the pot au feu which was a delectable dish of 3 cuts/textures of beef in an aromatic broth with root vegetables, Bernaise, cornichons, and onions on the side.

For starters, we had another Bizerca classic, the beef fillet tartare (which is the best I have ever eaten) and of course the impossible to resist, raw salmon salad.

I was beyond thrilled when I wrote to Cyrillia to ask if I could use their recipe which I had seen previously published in the Nomu monthly newsletter and she agreed without hesitation. I do love it when people are so willing to share around food.

So I made it the very next day and here it is.

Recipe: (serves 4)

500g Norwegian Salmon (the best quality you can lay your hands-on)
80g soft goat’s cheese/chevre
50g pickled ginger (cut into very thin strips)
40g pine nuts (toasted)
100g rocket (or baby greens)
artisan Sourdough bread to serve
lemon wedges (optional)

Dressing

3 tbsp spring onions,
finely chopped
100ml extra virgin olive oil
30ml good quality soy sauce

Lightly toast the pine nuts in a non-stick frying pan until golden brown. Slice the Salmon very thinly using your sharpest possible knife. Spread the rocket leaves on a serving platter and arrange the salmon ribbons on top. Roughly crumble the goat’s cheese in chucks over the salmon and top with the finely sliced pickled ginger.

Mix all the dressing ingredients together and drizzle over the salmon and onto the plate. Scatter the pine nuts and serve with good quality sourdough bread and lemon wedges (optional).