Smoked Eel, Smoked Sturgeon, and Choupique Caviar Salad with Dilled Buttermilk Dressing
- Level: Easy
- Yield: 4 servings
- Total: 58 min
- Prep: 55 min
- Cook: 3 min
Ingredients
1 cup flour
Essence, recipe follows
1/2 pound smoked eel, cut into 1-inch pieces
6 ounces smoked sturgeon, flaked
1/2 cup thinly sliced red onions
2 tablespoons snipped fresh chives
2 tablespoons Champagne vinegar
2 tablespoons canola oil
Dilled Buttermilk Dressing, recipe follows
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 large head Bibb lettuce (about 8 ounces), core removed, quartered, rinsed and patted dry
1 ounce Choupique caviar, or salmon roe
Essence (Emeril's Creole Seasoning):
2 1/2 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon dried leaf oregano
1 tablespoon dried thyme
Dilled Buttermilk Dressing:
1 large egg*
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh chopped dill
1 cup canola oil
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Directions
- Preheat a fryer to 360 degrees F.
- Season the flour with Essence and place in a shallow dish. Dredge the eel in the seasoned flour, shaking off any excess.
- Fry the eel until golden brown, about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate.
- In a large bowl, combine the sturgeon, onions, chives, vinegar, oil, some of the Buttermilk Dill Dressing, salt, and pepper, and toss gently.
- In a small bowl, combine the vinegar, oil, salt, and pepper, and drizzle over the lettuces. Place 1/4 head of lettuce on each of 4 large salad plates. Arrange the sturgeon mixture over the lettuce. Top with the fried eel. Drizzle each serving with 3 tablespoons of the dressing. Place 1 teaspoon of the caviar in the center and serve.
Essence (Emeril's Creole Seasoning):
- Combine all ingredients thoroughly and store in an airtight jar or container.
- Recipe from "New New Orleans Cooking", by Emeril Lagasse and Jessie Tirsch. Published by William and Morrow, 1993.
Dilled Buttermilk Dressing:
- To make the dressing, combine the egg and dill in the bowl of a food processor and process on high speed for 15 seconds. With the machine running, add the oil in a thin stream and process until it forms an emulsion. Transfer to a bowl and whisk in the buttermilk, lemon juice, salt, and pepper.