Salmon Carpaccio and Tomato Tarte Tatin

Yes, it sounds like an odd mix, and kind of was, but both were super tasty (next time I'll use two different plates and just suck it up and wash two extra dishes). The nice thing about them is they both bring out fresh summery flavors but you can make them in the winter. The carpaccio recipe I found in the New York Times, and I'd seen tomato tarte tatin recipes and researched a few before landing on this New York Times recipe. The carpaccio was so fresh and the lemon zest and chives perfectly balanced out the richness of the fish. The tomato tarte was flavorful and rich and also looks so pretty with different colored tomatoes! I got these red and yellow grape tomatoes at the farmers market, but Trader Joe's also has great colorful grape and cherry tomato packs. Both dishes aren't terribly hard, but are impressive - good for a special at home date. Especially the individual tarte tatins.


Salmon Carpaccio (for 2)
Ingredients:
8 ounces salmon, preferably wild (if you can't find wild, I try to get the deepest orange color of the other options)
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for brushing

1 small shallot, finely diced

2 teaspoons finely chopped lemon zest

1 tablespoon lemon juice

Salt and pepper

1 teaspoon capers, rinsed and roughly chopped

2 teaspoons snipped chives

Directions:

Slice the salmon crosswise into 4 equal pieces. Paint each slice lightly with olive oil and place between 2 pieces of waxed paper. Using a meat mallet or wine bottle, with light tapping motions, very gently pound the salmon to about 1/16- inch thickness. Refrigerate in the waxed paper until ready to serve. Put the shallot, lemon zest and lemon juice in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Add the capers. Whisk in 3 tablespoons olive oil. For each serving, carefully peel one sheet of waxed paper from the salmon and invert onto a chilled plate. Remove the remaining waxed paper. Sprinkle the salmon lightly with salt. Drizzle with the lemon-caper oil and sprinkle with the chives.

Tomato Tarte Tatin (serves 2)

Ingredients:

1 14-oz pacakge all-butter puff pastry (you only use 1 sheet, use the other for palmiers or cheese swirls or something)

1 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 large red onion, halved and thinly sliced

2 tbsp brown sugar

splash sherry vinegar

1 pint (1/2 lb) cherry or grape tomatoes – ideally different colors

2 tsp chopped fresh thyme leaves

Kosher salt and black pepper

Directions:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Unfold puff pastry sheet and cut into the shape of two individual ramekins. Chill, covered, until ready to use. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and a pinch of sugar and cook, stirring, until onions are golden and caramelized, 15 to 20 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon water and let cook off, scraping brown bits from bottom of pan. Transfer onions to a bowl. In a clean skillet, combine sugar and 1.5 tablespoons water. Cook over medium heat, swirling pan gently (do not stir) until sugar melts and turns amber, 5 to 10 minutes. Add vinegar and swirl gently. Pour equal amounts of caramel into ramekins. Scatter tomatoes over caramel then add onions. Season with thyme leaves, salt, and pepper. Top with puff pastry round, tucking edges into pan. Cut several long vents in top of pastry. Bake until crust is puffed and golden, about 30 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes, then run a knife around pastry to loosen it from ramekins, and flip tarts out onto plants. Eat!