One would be forgiven for assuming that the doyenne of domesticity’s ideal dish is something terrifically complicated, but Martha Stewart’s tastes can be surprisingly simple. Sure, the celebrity chef and media mogul’s whipped cream recipe uses quince syrup harvested from her very own farm, and even Stewart’s Mason jar meal prep is just a wee bit fancier than the norm. But Martha Stewart must, at the end of the day, still appeal to the bourgeoisie. So, while the one thing she could eat on repeat in perpetuity is still going to be on the more expensive side, it is technically a pretty basic element, she told People magazine: raw fish. But, like with the swimmer itself, there is a catch.
“I could eat probably a fish tartare every day with a little dab of caviar on it,” Stewart told the outlet, instantly doubling the dollar signs attached to her preferred seafood meal. She isn’t particular about what variety is getting chopped, either. “And I would probably change the fish from day to day, like between fluke and flounder and tuna and hake. Anything ultra fresh. That would be very good,” she said.
Fish tartare, near and far
This upscale restaurant staple, which commonly appears as a tuna take, is also rather easy to make in your own home, once you’ve sourced the protein. You’ll first want to confirm that your chosen fish is actually safe to eat raw. Salmon, mackerel, and the aforementioned tuna are all generally fine. Other varieties like haddock and tilefish are not. This is not something to risk, given the serious chance of foodborne illness should you choose wrong.
You’ll also see some tartare recipes that call simply for “very fresh” fish. We’d go a step further and opt for sushi-grade fish in particular, which means that it’s supposed to be deep-frozen soon after it’s caught to zap any potentially sickening pests. As always, your friendly United States Food and Drug Administration would like to remind you that even freezing might not catch everything.
Once you’ve made the leap and decided to live a little, previously iced fillet in hand, even just a dice with a sharp knife and shake of salt and pepper make a tartare, Of course, recipes can scale way up from there, so feel empowered to play around with additional ingredients like citrus juice and zest, wasabi, ginger, and sesame oil. The wide world of tartare is truly your oyster — which you can also eat raw.
