Food Recipes Appetizers Seafood Appetizers Trout Tartare with Fennel Remoulade and Tobiko Fresh trout tartare gets a bright lift from fennel, ginger, lime, and yuzu, with golden tobiko and crispy puffed rice adding textural contrast. By Larry Feldmeier Updated on September 9, 2026 Save Rate PRINT Share Close Credit: Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Ruth Blackburn / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen Active Time: 35 mins Total Time: 50 mins Servings: 4 Jump to recipe Silky fresh trout gets a bright boost from fennel, red onion, yellow bell pepper, cucumber, ginger, lime, and yuzu.Yuzu tobiko and puffed black wild rice add contrasting texture and visual appeal to the delicately seasoned tartare.The components can be prepped ahead and assembled just before serving, making this an elegant dish for entertaining. In this vibrant tartare from Chicago chef Larry Feldmeier, buttery-soft fresh trout is combined with fennel, red onion, yellow bell pepper, and cucumber, then coated in a dressing spiked with bright flavors like lime, ginger, and yuzu. Golden yuzu tobiko and crispy puffed rice top the dish, adding striking visual appeal and intriguing textural contrast. How to get crispy puffed rice When frying the rice, make sure the oil temperature is at 425°F so the rice puffs nicely. The high heat allows the rice to fry quickly; lower temperatures mean a longer cook time, so the small grains absorb more oil and end up soggy instead of crunchy. If you’d like to skip the frying, you can swap in pre-puffed rice, rice crackers, or masago arare (Japanese rice cracker pearls). What is yuzu tobiko? Yuzu tobiko is a flavored variety of flying fish roe that’s cured and prepared with yuzu juice. First cleaned and salted, the roe is then brined with the East Asian citrus, creating a tobiko with a yellowish hue and the bright, tart flavor associated with yuzu. It can be found at Japanese supermarkets (usually in the seafood or freezer section), specialty seafood counters, or online. Notes from the Food & Wine Test Kitchen If you can’t find an ingredient, try these alternatives: Substitute high-quality salmon for the Fjord trout.Substitute lemon juice for the yuzu juice.Substitute black pepper for the Espelette pepper.Substitute any tobiko or fish roe for the yuzu tobiko. Keep Screen Awake Ingredients 1/2x 1x 2x Oops! Something went wrong. Our team is working on it. This recipe was developed at its original yield. Ingredient amounts are automatically adjusted, but cooking times and steps remain unchanged. Note that not all recipes scale perfectly. Original recipe (1X) yields 4 servings Puffed Rice 3 cups canola oil 1/4 cup uncooked pure black wild rice 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt Trout Tartare and Fennel Remoulade 8 small fennel bulbs with fronds (8 ounces each) 1/4 cup mayonnaise 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh ginger (from a 1-inch piece) 1/2 tablespoon fish sauce 2 teaspoons fresh lime juice (from 1 lime) 1 teaspoon bottled yuzu juice 1 (8-ounce) skinless Fjord (Norwegian steelhead) trout fillet 2 1/2 tablespoons finely chopped red onion (from 1 small onion) 2 tablespoons finely chopped yellow bell pepper (from 1 small bell pepper) 2 tablespoons peeled and finely chopped cucumber (from 1 small cucumber) 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1/2 teaspoon Espelette pepper 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon yuzu tobiko 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons Puffed Rice (recipe follows) 2 teaspoons culinary citrus marigold petals Directions Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Ruth Blackburn / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen Make the Puffed Rice: Heat oil in medium pot over medium-high until it reaches 425°F. While oil heats, line a tray or rimmed baking sheet with a double layer of paper towels. Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Ruth Blackburn / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen Gently pour rice into hot oil. Cook, undisturbed, until rice is puffed and floats to the surface, about 30 seconds. Using a mesh skimmer or a spider, quickly remove rice from oil and transfer to prepared tray to drain. Sprinkle evenly with salt. Let cool completely, about 15 minutes. Store in an airtight container at room temperature up to 3 days. Make the Trout Tartare and Fennel Remoulade: Place a medium metal bowl in freezer; chill at least 15 minutes, or up to 24 hours. Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Ruth Blackburn / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen Finely chop 2 1/2 tablespoons fennel bulb and 1 tablespoon fennel fronds from fennel; set aside for tartare mixture. Using a vegetable peeler, thinly shave 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon fennel bulb from fennel, and pick 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon fennel fronds from fennel; set aside for plating. Reserve remaining fennel for another use. Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Ruth Blackburn / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen Stir together mayonnaise, ginger, fish sauce, lime juice, and yuzu juice in a small bowl until combined; set aside until ready to use. Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Ruth Blackburn / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen Double-check trout for any skin, bones, or discolored meat; remove and discard as needed. Cut trout into 1/2- inch cubes. Place trout cubes, finely chopped fennel bulb, onion, bell pepper, and cucumber in chilled medium bowl. Gently stir in mayonnaise dressing until mixture is completely dressed. Gently stir in finely chopped fennel fronds, salt, and Espelette pepper. Cover tartare and let marinate in refrigerator at least 15 minutes or up to 24 hours. Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Ruth Blackburn / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Ruth Blackburn / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen Place a 3- to 3 1/2-inch ring mold on center of a plate; fill mold about three-fourths full with some of the marinated tartare mixture (about 1/2 cup). Top tartare with 1 teaspoon yuzu tobiko on left side of ring. Fill right side with 2 teaspoons Puffed Rice. In the center, where the tobiko and rice meet, place 1 teaspoon each shaved fennel bulb, picked fennel fronds, and 1/2 teaspoon marigold petals. Gently lift and remove ring mold. Repeat process 3 times on 3 additional plates. Serve immediately. Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Ruth Blackburn / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen Make ahead The puffed rice can be made up to three days in advance and stored in an airtight container. The dressed trout can be refrigerated up to 24 hours before molding and serving. 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