Summer in Montauk demands a specific kind of culinary, effortlessly chic energy. At Seasalt, the restaurant tucked inside the bohemian grounds of Solé East (90 2nd House Rd, Montauk), chef Eduardo Gomez delivers exactly that. Now in his sixth season at the property, he shapes a menu that mirrors the raw, vibrant beauty of the East End.
For him, the ultimate luxury of cooking is his proximity to Gosman’s Dock, located just 10 minutes away.
“The beauty of having a fish market right down the road is that you can walk in and pick whatever was just pulled off the boats,” Eduardo says. “At that point, you use your talent as a chef to think outside the box. Being in Montauk and having that immediate connection to the water is amazing.”
Chef Eduardo Gomez prefers a hands-on method, when handling his kitchen and the food passing through it. (Photo credit: Doug Young)
Over the years, he has established tight-knit relationships with the local purveyors and dock workers, ensuring that Seasalt gets the absolute best of the daily catch. That pristine local catch is the centerpiece of his ultra-seasonal striped bass crudo, a dish that has become a summer menu staple for guests looking for something light, elegant, and refreshing.
Though Eduardo’s culinary journey includes execution at acclaimed city spots like Cookshop, Barbuto and The Modern, he never actually attended culinary school, opting instead to learn directly on the line. “Knowledge is free,” he notes. “If you want to take it in, the kitchen will teach you.”
That hands-on education, paired with his Mexican heritage, heavily influences his flavor profiles, balancing classical technique with bright, clean acids and subtle heat. Yet, his overarching philosophy remains grounded in the basics: simplicity and respect.
Chef Eduardo’s crudo utilizes local bounty in its simplest, least manipulated form, allowing for beauty of the bass to shine through strong. (Photo credit: Doug Young)
“You have to be humble with the ingredients you touch,” says Eduardo. “Appreciate them for what they are, understand where they come from, and know who brought them to your table. That’s the best advice I can give, whether you’re a home cook or a professional.”
With a quick, sweet-and-sour pickle of high-summer melons and a splash of quality olive oil, this crudo lets the natural beauty of Montauk striped bass speak entirely for itself.
Tips for the Home Cook
- Mind Your Metals: When boiling your quick-pickling brine, always use a stainless steel or glass pot. Avoid aluminum cookware, as the vinegar’s high acidity will react with the metal, leaching a metallic taste into your beautiful summer fruits.
- The Chill Factor: Make sure your pickling brine is completely cooled before tossing in your diced melon and cucumber. If the liquid is too warm, it will cook the fruit, destroying that crisp, refreshing texture you want against the soft raw fish.
- Don’t Sweat the Knife Skills: While a fine, uniform dice looks stunning on a restaurant plate, don’t let it stress you out at home. A medium, rustic dice works beautifully. As Eduardo notes, we eat with our eyes, but flavor and comfort always come first.
- Filleting Prep: If you want to try filleting fish at home, practice on smaller fish first and always use a freshly sharpened chef’s knife. Alternatively, save yourself the stress and ask your local fishmonger to hand you a clean, skinless fillet ready for slicing.
- Build Some Height: When plating your crudo, use a small spoon or an offset spatula to lift and layer the fish and fruit gently. Avoid letting it lay completely flat on the dish; creating a little height gives it that high-end restaurant aesthetic.
Striped bass crudo with pickling-brined melon
Ingredients
- 1 lb local striped bass fillet, skinless
- 1 cup chardonnay vinegar (apple cider vinegar also works well)
- 1 cup water
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 tbsp coarse salt
- 1 1/2 cups small-dice honeydew melon
- 1 1/2 cups small-dice watermelon
- 1 1/2 cups small-dice English cucumber
- 2 tsp Fresno pepper (or red jalapeño), finely minced
- 1 sprig fresh bronze fennel
- 2 tbsp high-quality extra virgin olive oil, for finishing
- Maldon flaky sea salt, to taste
Directions
- Prepare theBrine: In a small stainless steel pot, combine the Chardonnay vinegar, water, sugar, and salt. Bring the mixture to a quick boil, stirring until the sugar and salt dissolve completely. Immediately remove from the heat and let the brine cool completely to room temperature.
- Pickle the Fruit: Once the brine is entirely cool, add the diced honeydew, watermelon, cucumber, minced Fresno pepper, and a few snipped fronds of the bronze fennel. Stir gently and let the mixture marinate and rest for 15 minutes.
- Slice the Fish: Pull your striped bass from the refrigerator. Using a very sharp knife, slice the fish at a slight angle into roughly 20 thin, sashimi-style pieces.
- Assemble theDish: Arrange the fish slices beautifully across a pre-chilled serving plate. Using a small spoon, dollop a generous amount of the pickled fruit-and-pepper mixture over each slice of fish.
- The FinalTouches: Drizzle a little of the remaining pickling brine and the extra-virgin olive oil over the entire plate.Use your fingers to crush flaky Maldon salt over the fish, and garnish with a few remaining sprigs of fresh bronze fennel. Serve immediately while perfectly chilled.
