How to Make Crudo at Home, as Shown by Chef Paul Kahan

Paul Kahan was, by his own admission, a little out of it by the time he arrived at the Bon Appétit Test Kitchen. Kahan, the chef of One Off Hospitality (which includes Chicago icons Blackbird, Avec, and the Publican), and Erling Wu-Bower, the chef of One Off's Nico (set to open in Chicago in December) had been up since 2:30 a.m., when they trekked to the fish market at Hunts Point to meet their new fishmonger.

"Along with Erling's talent," Kahan explained, "super, super fresh fish" and fresh pastas are the driving force behind Nico, which Kahan describes as an "Italian version of Avec, slashed into Milos."

"Donnie [Madia, Kahan's partner in One Off] and I've been poking each other for the last 20 years to do an Italian restaurant," Kahan adds. Hence the middle-of-the-night sojourn to the Bronx, where a scout guided Kahan and Wu-Bower among the fish stalls. "We were like, 'Look at this bass! It's amazing!'" says Kahan, "and [the purveyor was] like, 'No, this is amazing.'" Kahan and Wu-Bower ended up selecting fluke, salmon, and black sea bass, which they brought back to the Test Kitchen to turn into crudo. Here are the 10 tips we gleaned from their demo on how to prepare fish—without the pesky task of cooking it.

Paul Kahan and Erling Wu-Bower's Tips for Making Crudo at Home

1. "Each fish is an individual," says Wu-Bower. The only way to really know if you want it eat it raw is to try it raw. "You just gotta cut a piece and taste it."

2. Crudo first-timer? Try salmon. Kahan suggests buying a small chunk of (expensive) Copper River salmon when it's in season.

3. Cold is key. "Everything's gotta be super cold," says Kahan. That means the fish (which should be stored wrapped in cling wrap, sealed in a zip-top bag, on ice) and the plate, too.

4. Never rinse fish. "Fish becomes cellular after rinsing it," Wu-Bower explains. Black bass, for instance, is "porous. It'll soak up water, and [rinsing] will ruin it."

5. Handle raw fish carefully. "Flavors such as gloves will definitely screw up your crudo," says Wu-Bower.

6. Don't let the fish dry out. While you're prepping other ingredients, store the fish fillets in cling wrap in the fridge so that they don't lose any moisture.

7. The only tool you need to make crudo is a knife. "It doesn't have to be a sashimi knife," says Wu-Bower, "just a sharp one." While some people prefer a Deba fish knife, Wu-Bower likes a poultry knife: "They're a lot more affordable and much more effective," he says.

8. Assuming you're working with fresh, high-quality fish, your go-to ingredients are good olive oil and a sprinkling of salt—and even the salt isn't always necessary, as Kahan and Wu-Bower discovered on a recent trip to Puglia, where they ate a crudo seasoned only with black pepper.

9. Don't forget the acid. "A nice bottle of vinegar, like this aged American balsamic from—excuse my language—fucking Nebraska, will last you a year," says Kahan. Lemon juice, lime juice, or Champagne vinegar will work, too.

10. "Know your fishmonger," says Kahan. "If you don't have a fishmonger you trust," warns Wu-Bower, "maybe leave crudo for a restaurant."