Name: Mackerel "Herring Style" with Cucumber-and-Bibb-Lettuce Vinaigrette
Yield: Serves 4 as an appetizer
Ingredients: 6 ounces (about 2) skinless mackerel filets; 1 very small garlic clove; Fine sea salt; 3 tablespoons crème fraîche; 1 teaspoon chopped fresh dill; 1/2 teaspoon prepared horseradish; 1/4 teaspoon Champagne vinegar; Pinch of ground toasted caraway seeds (see tips, below); 1/4 cup finely diced cucumber; 1/4 cup finely diced cooked beet; 1/4 cup finely diced apple; Freshly ground black pepper; 1 head Bibb lettuce; 3/4 cup seeded, diced cucumber; 1/2 cup packed parsley leaves; Pinch of ascorbic acid (optional, see tips, below); 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice; 1 tablespoon Champagne vinegar; Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper; 3 tablespoons canola oil; 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil; 3 1/2 ounces (about 3 1/2 cups) mixed baby greens (mesclun); Salmon roe, for garnish

Editor's note: The recipe and introductory text below are excerpted from David Bouley, Mario Lohninger, and Melissa Clark's book East of Paris: The New Cuisines of Austria and the Danube. Lohninger also shared some helpful cooking tips exclusively with Epicurious, which we've added at the bottom of the page.

To read more about Lohninger and Austrian cooking, click here.

David Bouley: Mario and I wanted to put fresh herring on the menu, but we couldn't find a consistent source for the best product from the North Sea. So we came up with this dish using mackerel, an underused fish in this country. When you marinate the raw mackerel, it becomes very mellow in flavor. It's a clean-tasting fish, not a bit "fishy" or strong. We marinate the mackerel in Bibb lettuce and cucumber juices, then mix it with beet and apple for sweetness and a little crunch. It's both light and refreshing.

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