Salmon Mi Cuit

Scottish Salmon, Orange Kosho, Lemon Brodo, Basil Oil, Radish, Chives

Chef Max MacKissock of The Culinary Creative Group | Denver, CO
Yield: 4 servings

”I chose to do a “mi cuit” preparation—French for “half-cooked”—which is my favorite way to eat salmon. I think it gets that fatty, buttery texture without releasing some of the oils you get when cooking the fish at high heat. My most recent restaurant is an Italian cocktail and mozzarella bar called Bar Amorina. We have a whole section of the menu dedicated to raw preparations, and I’ve had fun taking some Japanese ideas and applying them with Italian and Mediterranean ingredients. The sauce is essentially a shiro dashi, but with saffron and lemon juice. We’ve also fermented orange zest and Calabrian chile to make a savory, spicy pop for the fish.” — Chef Max MacKissock

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Adapted by StarChefs  |  May 2025  |  Photo: Marc Piscotty

INGREDIENTS

Salmon Mi Cuit:
100 grams kosher salt
50 grams granulated sugar
20 grams lemon zest
500 grams Scottish salmon fillet, skin and pin bones removed
Neutral oil

Lemon Brodo:
30 grams kombu
30 grams katsuobushi
½ gram saffron
150 grams white soy
100 grams lemon juice
50 grams granulated sugar
1 gram xanthan gum

Orange Kosho:
100 grams orange zest
100 grams Calabrian chile paste
40 grams orange juice
20 grams kosher salt

Basil Oil:
100 grams basil leaves
400 grams grapeseed oil

To Assemble and Serve:
20 grams thinly sliced chives
20 slices watermelon radish, sliced ⅛-inch thick, punched out with flower cutter, and brushed with olive oil
Fleur de sel

METHOD

For the Salmon Mi Cuit:
Heat the water bath of an immersion circulator to 108°F. In a mixing bowl, combine salt, sugar, and lemon zest. Add salmon and toss to evenly coat. Wrap in plastic wrap and let cure 1 hour. Rinse salmon under cold water and pat dry. Brush with neutral oil and transfer to a vacuum bag. Seal and cook sous vide 1 hour. Transfer to ice bath and let cool.

For the Lemon Brodo:
In a mixing bowl, combine kombu and 500 grams filtered water. Let sit overnight. The next day, transfer to a saucepan over medium flame and heat to 180°F. Add katsuobushi, remove from heat, and let steep 5 minutes. Strain into a nonreactive container and let cool. In a clean pot over medium-high heat, bring 450 grams dashi to a simmer. Stir in saffron, then remove from heat. Let cool. Transfer mixture to a blender with white soy, lemon juice, sugar, and xanthan gum. Blend 1 minute. Transfer to a vacuum bag and seal. Refrigerate. 

For the Orange Koshō:
In a mortar and pestle, combine all ingredients. Transfer to an airtight container. Let sit 24 hours at room temperature.

For the Basil Oil:
Prepare an ice bath with a strainer. In a pot over medium-high heat, bring water to a boil. Add basil and blanch 15 seconds. Shock in ice bath then squeeze dry in linen towels. Transfer basil to a blender with oil and blend high speed 1 minute. Strain through a linen-lined chinois into a squeeze bottle, without pressing. Refrigerate and freeze excess.

To Assemble and Serve:
Bring Salmon Mi Cuit to room temperature then slice into ½-inch-thick pieces. Top each slice with chives and 1 small dollop Orange Kosho. In a shallow bowl, arrange 4 slices Salmon Mi Cuit. Pour Lemon Brodo around fish. Garnish with radish slices and fleur de sel. Finish with a drizzle of Basil Oil.

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