Seafood Tartare Trio

Name: Seafood Tartare Trio
Prep time: 50 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Ingredients: 250 g skinless salmon fillet; 1 small shallot; 1 tbsp chopped fresh dill; Zest of 1 lime and 2 tsp juice; 1 tbsp mild olive oil; 250 g peeled Mediterranean red prawn tails; Pinch of saffron threads; 4 tbsp creme fraiche; 1 tsp lemon juice and zest; 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil; Chives; 250 g swordfish loin; 1 tbsp small capers; 6 Taggiasca or Kalamata olives; 6 cherry tomatoes; 1 tbsp chopped parsley or basil; Flaky sea salt, white and black pepper; Crostini or cucumber rounds, to serve

⏱ Prep: 50 min 🍽 Serves: 6 📊 Difficulty: Medium

Small moulded salmon tartare with herbs, one of three tartares on a party plate

This is a party plate of three small tartares, each with its own character. The first is salmon with dill and lime, rich, herby and bright. The second is red prawns with saffron cream, sweet and soft with a gentle, golden cream. The third is swordfish with capers, olives and cherry tomatoes, firm and Sicilian. Served side by side in small quenelles or ring moulds, the three read as a progression from delicate to savoury. It makes an impressive first course or a centrepiece for an aperitivo spread.

The trick with any trio is organisation. Make the saffron cream and prep every garnish first. Then cut each fish separately, on a clean chilled board, and keep each one on ice. Dress all three in the last ten minutes. For the general method, and for other species you could swap in, see the seafood tartare guide. For quantities for larger groups, see how much tartare per person.

Raw fish and shellfish are not safe for everyone. Pregnant people, infants and young children, older adults, and anyone immunocompromised should avoid raw seafood and be offered a cooked alternative. Swordfish is high in mercury: health authorities including the US FDA advise people who are pregnant, breastfeeding or planning a pregnancy, and young children, not to eat it at all, raw or cooked. For everyone else, buy seafood sold for raw use from a trusted fishmonger, keep it below 4°C/40°F from shop to plate, cut it to order and eat it the same day. This recipe reflects our editorial guidance and does not replace the rules of your local food-safety authority. See our disclaimer and the complete food safety guide.

Sourcing the three fish

Salmon. Use farmed salmon that is sold for raw use, or salmon that has been frozen to a parasite-control standard. Wild salmon should always be previously frozen before you eat it raw. See does freezing kill parasites in fish?

Red prawns. Mediterranean red prawns (gambero rosso, including the prized prawns landed at Mazara del Vallo in Sicily) are eaten raw across Italy as crudo. They are usually frozen on board soon after they are caught, which is how they reach most markets outside Italy. Under EU hygiene rules, fish served raw must first be frozen for parasite control unless it qualifies for an exemption. Italian restaurants generally blast-freeze all raw seafood, prawns included, as a matter of course. Buy them frozen from a reputable supplier, labelled for raw consumption where possible, and thaw them slowly in the fridge. If you cannot get red prawns sold for raw use, use sashimi-grade sweet shrimp or simply poach the prawns briefly (see Variations).

Swordfish. Buy a centre-cut steak from a fishmonger who sells it for crudo, and ask whether it has been frozen for parasite control. Swordfish is a wild fish, so we recommend previously frozen swordfish for raw use. Because of the mercury, keep portions small. A trio is ideal for this, because each guest eats only about 40 g.

Ingredients

Salmon with dill and lime

250 g (9 oz) skinless salmon fillet, pin-boned
1 small shallot, very finely diced
1 tbsp chopped fresh dill, plus sprigs to garnish
Finely grated zest of 1 lime and 2 tsp juice
1 tbsp mild olive oil
Flaky sea salt and white pepper

Red prawns with saffron cream

250 g (9 oz) peeled Mediterranean red prawn tails (about 500 g whole prawns)
A generous pinch of saffron threads (about 15–20 threads)
1 tbsp hot water
4 tbsp crème fraîche
1 tsp lemon juice and a little grated zest
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Chives, finely snipped
Flaky sea salt

Swordfish with capers, olives and cherry tomatoes

250 g (9 oz) swordfish loin, skin and dark bloodline removed
1 tbsp small capers, rinsed and chopped
6 Taggiasca or Kalamata olives, pitted and finely chopped
6 cherry tomatoes, seeded and cut into 3 mm dice
1 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley or basil
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
A few drops of lemon juice
Flaky sea salt and black pepper

To serve

Crostini, crackers or thin cucumber rounds

Instructions

Make the saffron cream first. Crumble the saffron into 1 tbsp hot water and leave it to steep for 15 minutes. Whisk the golden water into the crème fraîche with the lemon juice and a pinch of salt. Chill until needed.
Prep every garnish. Dice the shallot. Chop the dill, parsley, capers and olives. Seed and dice the tomatoes and drain them on paper towel. Keep each in its own small bowl in the fridge. Chill three mixing bowls, the board and the serving plates.
Cut the salmon. Remove any grey fat from the skin side, then cut it into 5 mm dice. Keep it in a chilled bowl over ice.
Cut the swordfish. Wipe the board clean. Trim away every trace of the dark bloodline, which tastes metallic raw, and cut the flesh into 5 mm dice. Keep it over ice.
Cut the prawns. Remove the vein from each tail and pat the tails dry. Cut them into 6–8 mm pieces. Prawns are soft, so larger pieces keep their shape. Keep them over ice.
Dress the salmon. Fold in the shallot, dill, lime zest and juice, olive oil, salt and white pepper.
Dress the swordfish. Fold in the capers, olives, tomatoes, herbs, olive oil, lemon and pepper. Taste before adding salt, because the capers and olives are already salty.
Dress the prawns. Toss them with the olive oil, lemon zest and a pinch of salt only.
Plate. On each chilled plate, place a small mound of each tartare in a row, using a small ring mould or two spoons. Spoon a little saffron cream beside or under the prawns and scatter them with chives. Garnish the salmon with a dill sprig. Serve immediately with the crostini.

Nutrition Information (per serving, approximate)

Calories 260

Protein 26g

Fat 16g

Carbs 3g

Excludes crostini.

Variations

Cooked prawns. For guests who should not eat raw shellfish, poach the peeled prawns for 60–90 seconds until just opaque, plunge them into iced water, dry them, and dress them the same way. The saffron cream works just as well.
Swap the swordfish. For a lower-mercury plate, use tuna (see tuna & avocado tartare) or farmed sea bream with the same caper-olive-tomato garnish.
Swap the salmon. Farmed hamachi, dressed with dill and lime, is equally good. See the hamachi tartare.
Canapé version. Spoon each tartare onto crostini or cucumber rounds, 12 of each, for a passed tray. See holiday tartare appetizers.

Troubleshooting

Flavours bleeding together. Plate with small gaps between the three tartares. Drain the tomatoes well, and keep the saffron cream to one side of the prawns rather than pooling it.
Salmon turning opaque. The lime went on too early. Add the juice only in the last few minutes, or use zest alone.
Prawns mushy. They were cut too small or thawed too fast. Thaw them overnight in the fridge and cut them into larger pieces.
Swordfish tastes metallic. Some of the dark bloodline was left on. Trim it back to pale flesh.

Make-ahead & storage

The saffron cream keeps for a day covered in the fridge, and every garnish can be prepped a few hours ahead. Cut the three fish up to an hour ahead and keep them separately, covered and over ice. Dress and plate them only at the last moment. Do not keep leftover dressed tartare. See serving and plating tartare for timing a party service.

Frequently Asked Questions

What goes in a tartare trio with salmon, dill and lime, red prawns with saffron cream, and swordfish?

Three small tartares served side by side. The salmon is diced and dressed with shallot, dill, lime zest and juice, and olive oil. The red prawns are cut into larger pieces, seasoned with olive oil and lemon zest, and served with a saffron-infused creme fraiche. The swordfish is diced and tossed with capers, olives, cherry tomatoes, herbs and olive oil.

Can you eat red prawns raw?

Yes. Mediterranean red prawns are widely eaten raw in Italy as crudo. They are usually frozen on board after they are caught, and Italian restaurants generally freeze seafood before serving it raw. Buy them from a reputable supplier, ideally labelled for raw consumption, and thaw them slowly in the fridge. People in higher-risk groups should eat them cooked.

Is raw swordfish safe?

For healthy adults, swordfish sold for raw use and previously frozen for parasite control can be eaten as crudo in small portions. It is high in mercury, so people who are pregnant, breastfeeding or planning a pregnancy, and young children, should not eat it at all.

Can I make the tartare trio ahead of time?

Partly. Make the saffron cream and prep the garnishes a few hours ahead, and cut the fish up to an hour ahead, keeping each one separately over ice. Dress and plate everything just before serving.

How much seafood do I need for a tartare trio?

About 40 g of each fish per person as a starter, or 120 g in total. For six people that is 250 g each of salmon, peeled red prawns and swordfish.