Home-style Tartare Sauce

Too busy concentrating on laying out the dishes; so unfortunately didn't get a great shot of the tartare sauce. 

One of the standout dishes of the day on our Christmas table was the Salmon Breakfast Platter. I was tired of the usual tradition of filling the table in the morning with loads of sweet goodies (baddies more like it), a bit of fruit, cheeses, cabanosi, salami and deli style titbits.

This year I wanted to have a proper breakfast, that was healthy, delicious and make us feel spoilt.  Without a doubt I succeeded.  Everyone loved the cheese and spinach triangles with chilli sauce and the fresh fruit platter served with thick flavoured blood orange yoghurt.

 But the Salmon Platter won hands down for perhaps the dish of the day.  I lined the platter with crisp, green, crunchy cos lettuce, halved freshly boiled eggs and flaked over with pan fried salmon. The skin was so crispy and delicious. Wedges of lemon tucked in around on the lettuce and voila. I almost dolloped the tartare sauce over the salad, but everyone insisted they preferred to spoon it on themselves from out of a small bowl.

The oooohs and aaaaahs were evident and the dish was an overall hit. A must for future Christmas tables; but somehow I don't think I'll be waiting that long. This dish is good enough to enjoy at any time. Perhaps with long strips of cucumber next time or just cooked asparagus. The possibilities are endless. One things for sure. Everyone tells me this is the best tartare sauce they have ever eaten!

Tartare Sauce

1 fresh free-range egg yolk
1teaspoon French mustard
1level tablespoon white vinegar
a little salt, pepper, sugar
light olive oil
1tablespoon french eschallot, finely chopped
1tablespoon gherkins, finely chopped
1tablespoon capers, finely chopped

• Place a smaller stainless steel bowl inside a large stainless steel bowl which contains warm water. This assists in making the tartare sauce a success. Warm ingredients are key to a successful tartare sauce. Refill the larger bowl with warm water as required. Place large bowl on a tea towel to prevent from swirling around as the mixture is whisked.
• Using a balloon whisk, beat till mixture begins to bind.
• Slowly add oil, drop by drop to begin with and increase the oil to a drizzle; watch the mixture increase in volume till it becomes quite thick and as pale as can be; being mindful the yolk and the mustard are very yellow in colour 
• Add a little water if needing to dilute.
• Mix in the gherkins, eschallot and capers. Taste. Season if need be. The capers are the trick to making a tasty, fragrant tartare sauce.
• Will last for up to a week covered and stored in the fridge.