Mention raw fish and most people will reach for a set of chopsticks. Jeremy Zabel, chef at The Saw Shop Bistro in Kelseyville discovered this when he added ahi crudo to his appetizer menu.
“You’d be surprised how many people asked for soy sauce,” he said.
But crudo — carpaccio di pesce or pesce crudo in long form — has as much to do with Japan as the Chicago Cubs with post-season play. The word translates as “raw” in Italian and the dish of freshly caught fish dressed in olive oil is common in fishing villages along the Adriatic.
“Everybody forgets a lot of European countries have their own style of raw fish,” Zabel pointed out. “This lets them see a different side.”
Zabel drapes slices of raw tuna in blood orange infused olive oil from nearby Chacewater, a balsamic vinegar reduction, sea salt and cracked pepper. The combination is mesmerizing — the grass and citrus of the oil slivering the intense balsamic, the earthy-sweet-tangy-savory-zealous whole pricked by bursts of sharp spice. Yet somehow these powerful flavors do not dominate the subtle fish.
The fish itself is gorgeous, as plush as cashmere. Watercress, avocado and Meyer lemon finish out the place, complementing the whole. It is one of the most captivating dishes served in Lake County.
“It’s all in the amounts,” Zabel said, explaining how strong forces can build toward a crescendo without that final crash. Contending ingredients play beautifully together, provided you remember to hold back “to where they don’t ruin the composition.”
Too much acidity will start to cure the fish, as in ceviche. Plain oils — vegetable, for example — will just lay there, where good olive oils add a complex veneer.
Yes, it remains raw fish. But sashimi revels in the beauty of the fish itself. Crudo, as prepared by modern chefs, turns its into a foundation for other equally beautiful ingredients and a showcase of culinary skills.
And, as an appetizer, is compelling enough that memories of the experience might linger long after the entree.
“We’re on a small plate kick right now,” Zabel acknowledged with a laugh.
That’s a good thing, obviously … provided he doesn’t take a stab at gravlax next.
Dave Faries can be reached at 900-2016
