At Quarter Acre in Dallas, chef and owner Toby Archibald skins and portions salmon farmed in Big Glory Bay in his native New Zealand into six-ounce fillets, seasons it with salt and brown sugar and smokes it over maple chips for around nine minutes, until it’s just cooked through. He plates it with sourdough croutons fried in olive oil, assorted baby lettuces such as red oak, lollo rosso, and baby gem from local purveyors, as well as sea lettuce and red dulce from Monterey, Calif., all dressed in a simple vinaigrette of lemon juice and olive oil.
Also on the plate are baby turnips that have been cured with salt, sugar and dill seeds, rinsed and then cooked in sous-vide with lemon juice, olive oil, and thyme. Additionally, he garnishes the plate with Buddha’s hand citron poached in a syrup of lemon, lemon grass, coriander, black pepper, and ginger.
The salmon is also served with a shallot sauce made by blending a soft-boiled egg, water and olive oil and adding diced shallots that have been confit in olive oil.
Finally, he finishes it with a little hot broth infused with leeks, onions, shallots, and kombu seaweed plus some of the confit shallots.
Price: $40