Romance & Recipes: Spicy Smoked Salmon Carpaccio
Story #1 | Notes On Love Misaligned
I had a taste for something, I hadn’t tasted. There was a dish I had every intention of making, something flavorful, delicate, and fresh. Just thinking about it, made me feel like I could taste it before it ever reached the plate. I knew exactly how I wanted the flavors to come together, to unfold across my tongue. I imagined the pairing, the glass of something chilled beside it, the stillness of the evening wrapping around me like silk.
But when I opened the fridge, the ingredients I counted on weren’t there.
No fresh dill.
No vibrant chives.
A part of me sighed with disappointment. I almost gave up on the dish entirely. But instead… I shifted from what I didn’t have to, “What do I have?” and “Can I work with that?”
I soaked the dried chives in oil and vinegar, hoping they’d soften into something usable. I plated the smoked salmon gently across the plate. Drizzled olive oil. Added heat with sliced chilies. Brightness with fresh parsley. A little caper brine for bite. Sliced shallots in there for balance.
And you know what? It was delicious.
Not the dish I originally intended. But beautiful all the same.
Salty. Briny. Spicy. Satisfying.
And still, it tasted like a lesson I’ve had to learn more than once.
Because that dish, it reminded me of him.
I met a man who almost made me fall. But I caught myself. He was great on paper, as they say, charismatic. Aromatic. Present in all the ways that make you lean in, at first….I felt the speed of things and I decided to allow myself to feel the fire but keep my heart on ice as much as possible. Because from the very beginning, I felt like I could taste that something was missing.
Have you ever dated someone you almost fell for?
But the ingredients you needed for that love to make sense… just weren’t there?
The connection was there. The chemistry, the charm, the spark.
But not the things that feed your soul.
So each interaction leaves you emptier than before.
That was me, with him.
We had the fixings for something light and sweet. Laughter, banter, attraction.
But the recipe was incomplete. He wasn’t feeding me.
In fact, every time I left his presence, I felt a little more hollow. A little less me.
And still, I stayed longer than I should have.
I softened where I used to speak.
I lowered my standards and told myself it was flexibility.
I tried to convince myself that maybe I didn’t need as much.
That maybe - like with food - I could pivot, make do, and still be full.
But love doesn’t work like that.
Yes, with food, the pivot can be divine.
You soak some dried herbs. You swap an ingredient. You adjust the acid.
And suddenly, what you thought was a compromise becomes a masterpiece.
But with love?
You need the right ingredients from the beginning.
Not potential.
Not promises.
Not pretty plating on something that was never meant to satisfy.
The smoked salmon carpaccio came together unexpectedly.
It wasn’t the dish I had planned. But it turned out to be everything I needed.
I used what I had—dried chives soaked in peach cider vinegar and olive oil.
I added spice. Brine. Texture.
And something beautiful took shape.
But unlike love, with food, you can improvise without sacrifice.
I’ve learned not to do that in relationships anymore.
I know exactly what feeds me.
I know what keeps me soft, and open, and whole.
When I voiced those needs to him, I was met with blame. Deflection. Hostility.
And that, ultimately, is what helped me walk away.
And maybe that’s the real love story here.
The one where I stop making meals out of crumbs. The one where I stop trying to fix things that just don’t have the right flavor.
The one where I don’t settle for a “love” that leaves me hungry.
The one where I give myself the joy of a red lip, a coupe glass, a soft night in -
with a dish that nourishes me back.
If you love recipes with a story, stay close.
This is only the beginning of Romance & A Recipe.
Ingredients
6 oz thinly sliced smoked salmon
1 small shallot, thinly sliced into rings
1 red chili pepper, thinly sliced
1 tbsp capers (this is me being modest)
1 tsp caper brine
Italian parsley leaves
For the Dressing
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp peach cider vinegar
1 small clove garlic, finely minced
1/2 tsp dried chives
1/2 tsp dried parsley
Pinch of sea salt
Cracked black pepper, to taste
Instructions
Arrange smoked salmon slices on a chilled plate, gently pressing them flat to create an even layer.
Whisk olive oil, peach cider vinegar, garlic, dried herbs, salt, and cracked pepper. Drizzle over salmon. { i let the dried herbs sit in the olive oil for an hour while i finished up work}.
Top with sliced shallots, red chili, capers, and a splash of caper brine. Garnish with Italian parsley.
Serve immediately with crusty bread, crostini, or crackers.
If you try this recipe, leave a comment. I’d love to know what you think about it. Enjoy!
-k.