Salmon Salpicon Tostadas with Garlic Mayo

There is no doubt in my mind that the food I’m always craving is anything involving tostadas.

I don’t know where this obsession comes from! Perhaps it’s just the beautiful sunny weather and warm days that we have at the moment that make me want fresh dishes that involve less time in the kitchen.

My Mum used to make Salpicon very often for lunch when me and my siblings were little. Her classic recipe was done with shredded cooked beef (“carne deshebrada”), roasted poblano peppers cut into thin strips (“rajas”), onion, carrot, boiled potatoes and finely chopped lettuce to add extra freshness, always seasoned with a bit of apple cider vinegar and olive oil, salt and pepper and nothing else. Usually this would all be put together in a big bowl at the centre of the table, with tostadas on the side. Everyone would make their own, adding a bit of crema, fresh crumbled cheese and always with my Mum’s freshly made salsa drizzled on the top.

I recall how satisfying this meal was for us so that I now often recreate it at home for those days when I don’t have time to put together a complex meal (so basically very often in my house :) ) but when I still want to prepare something healthy and delicious.

I tend to make different different variations of the same but always with a principle protein, salad, charred chili (for a kid friendly version you can keep a portion without the chili), veggies and seasoned with a simple vinaigrette.

A few ideas to substitute the protein is to use shredded poached chicken, crab meat, prawns, smoked tofu, or cooked puy lentils, etc. Or you can try the original version with shredded beef which is always a winner, and for a more fancy meal why not treat yourself and get some lobster.

Either way I hope this recipe will become a classic in your home too.

Serves 4

ingredients:

600 gms salmon.

1 tsp olive oil for cooking.

1 pinch of salt.

1 white onion (finely chopped).

2 medium carrots ( grated).

2 red chillies or serrano chilies ( blistered, stemless and chopped finely ), for a less spicy result try padron peppers.

1 lime or lemon (zest and juice).

1/4 cup of apple cider vinegar.

4 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil.

Maldon salt and black coarse pepper for seasoning.

1 gem lettuce (washed and cut in chiffonade ).

2 avocados (sliced or cut into cubes).

Quick Garlic mayo.

2 cups of mayo.

1 lime (juice and zest).

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil.

1 fat garlic clove.

Maldon salt and black pepper to taste.

About 16 tostadas (I like to serve extra for those who like to scoop the bits from the salad that fall into the plate during every bite).

Method.

Preheat the oven at 180 C.

Place your fish over a baking dish, rub the olive oil on top and season with the salt, bake for 15 - 20 minutes (depending on your oven) or until the meat is cooked through but not too dry, remove from the oven and let it cool down completely before using.

In a bowl add the grated carrots, onions, lemon juice and zest, set aside and let the acid to cook and soften your onions slightly for 10 min.

Break the salmon meat with a spoon so that is shredded , add to your onion carrot mixture, add the blistered chilies, season with the apple cider vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper, incorporate all the ingredients with a spoon, taste and reserve in your fridge until serving.

Add the chiffonade lettuce until it’s ready to serve to avoid it from becoming soggy, to keep it fresh and crunchy.

For the garlic mayo place all the ingredients into your food processor and blitz until all the ingredients are combined into a smooth creamy texture mayo, taste and adjust seasoning your taste .

Serve your salpicon salad in the middle of the table, the tostadas on the side, your avocado and garlic mayo, everyone can assemble their own , I recommend a good smear of garlic mayo at the bottom of your tostada, then a good amount of avocado, top with a good amount of salmon salpicon and another tostada on the side to scoop any fallen bits.

Enjoy!

Note: You can buy tostadas already made or to make them yourself by shallow frying corn tortillas until golden and crispy.

For a lighter version you can bake them in the oven slightly brushed with a bit of olive oil at 180 C for about 6 -7 min.