Ahi Tuna Tartar on Wonton Chips

Ahi Tuna Tartar on Wonton Chips

I make this appetizer all the time and my family and friends never tire of it.  The key is to get the freshest tuna available and make sure it is sushi grade.  I scrape the meat off the white sinew, chop it up a bit and add that to my dice. You will never notice the different textures and you avoid the problem of cutting through and eating that tough connective tissue. 


Tartar

• ½ lb. Sashimi grade Ahi tuna, sinew removed and chopped in 1/4 inch dice
• ½ cup coarsely chopped cilantro
• ¼ cup minced red or sweet onion
• 2 tablespoons thinly sliced green onion tops
• 2 teaspoons soy sauce mixed with 2 teaspoons wasabi, or to taste
• 1 teaspoon sesame seed oil
• 1 teaspoon peanut oil
• 1 to 2 teaspoons lemon juice

Wonton Chips

• 16 wonton wrappers cut in half
• Peanut or canola oil for frying

For the Tartar:


Place your mixing bowl over a larger bowl of ice and add the tuna, cilantro and green onions; toss to distribute ingredients evenly.  Mix the soy/wasabi mixture with the sesame and peanut oil and add to the tuna; mix well.  Use the tuna cubes to wipe the bowl clean.  Right before you serve add the lemon juice and stir to evenly coat.  The lemon juice will cook the tuna and change the color from a bright pink jewel to a slight grey but the taste will not be affected.


Serve in a decorative bowl surrounded by the wonton chips or place the tuna on the chips directly for a pass around appetizer.



For the Wonton Chips:


Fill a large saute pan with at least 3/4 inch of oil; heat over medium low heat.  Throw in one wonton wrapper and wait until it turns crisp.  The key to cooking these chips is to do so over a lower heat, so they slowly cook rather than a quick deep fry.  You want the chips to be light brown and completely crisp, turning them frequently until they are the desired color and completely crisp.  I play with the heat as I cook to find that sweet spot.  Salt well while they are hot.  You also have a complete package of wontons so no worries about mistakes. 


Another techique is to bake them at 350 degrees until they are browned and crisp (my guess is around 7-10 minutes-I have not done this in a LONG time).  I first brush one side with the oil, place them close together on a cookie sheet, salt them then place in the oven for the browning.  Check frequently.  I like the looks of the baked ones but the taste is, well, not fried if you know what I mean.


Enjoy this spectacular recipe any time of year.

Seared Ahi Tuna on a Bed of Green with Ginger Vinaigrette and Pickled Cucumbers

For Monday Night Dinner:

Serves 4

Ginger Vinaigrette

• 1 piece fresh ginger, 1 ½ inches long, peeled and grated
• 1 clove of garlic
• 2 tablespoons seasoned rice wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon honey
• ½ tablespoon crushed red pepper
• ¼ cup peanut oil
• ½ teaspoon sesame oil

The Tuna

• 1 large sashimi grade Ahi tuna steak, at least 1 pound, black part removed
• 2 teaspoons plus 1 tablespoon peanut oil
• 2 tablespoons sesame seeds

Cucumber Relish

• ½ cup rice wine vinegar
• ½ cup sugar
• ½ cup water
• 1 English cucumber, peeled, cut in half, seeded and sliced thin
• 1 shallot, sliced into thin ringlets
• 1 Serrano chili, minced
• ¼ cup coarsely chopped cilantro

Salad

• 6 cups mixed greens
• 4 radishes, thinly sliced
• 1 avocado, cubed
• 1 green onion, green part only, thinly sliced
• ¼ cup coarsely chopped cilantro
• ½ cup sliced almonds, toasted in a 350 degree oven for 7 minutes

In a jar with a tight fitting lid add the ginger, garlic, vinegar, soy sauce, honey, red pepper, peanut oil and sesame oil. Shake until emulsified

Rub the Ahi steak with 2 teaspoons of oil and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Press to adhere the seed to the Ahi. Heat a small sauté over high heat then add oil. When simmering add tuna steak and cook for 1 minute, turn over and cook for an additional minute. Transfer onto plate and refrigerate until cold (can be done earlier in the day). Slice the tuna thinly and marinate with a few tablespoons of the dressing.

For the cucumbers, in a small saucepan bring the vinegar, sugar and water to a boil, stir to dissolve the sugar. Meanwhile place the cucumbers, shallots and Serrano chili in a bowl just large enough to hold them. Pour hot sugar water over cucumbers and push them into the liquid (they will soon be floating with more liquid than cucumber). Place in the refrigerator until cool, about 1 hour. When ready to use drain and add cilantro. This also can be made ahead.

In a large bowl toss the greens with the radishes, avocado, green onion and cilantro. Add dressing to taste.
For the presentation, place a mound of salad in the middle of a plate. Place slices of tuna decoratively onto the lettuce. Top with a mound of pickled cucumbers. Sprinkle each salad with 1 tablespoon of toasted almonds.

Fish Night

Monday is not supposed to be a good day for fish. Most say, fisherman do not work on Sunday or even Saturday so the fish is last week's catch and old. It is our tradition to always have fish on Monday, not Friday even though I was raised Catholic. We like to eat light on Monday after our weekend of richer food, wine and desserts, so to make up for a decadent weekend, fish is on the menu.

If it were my husband’s choice we would eat fish three or four nights a week yet we still have a sixteen year old in the house and she would protest. So I shop at my favorite fish and poultry market on Monday and let my fish monger guide me to the best fish of the day. Today I chose salmon. After writing about Susan Spicer’s cookbook, “Crescent City Cooking”, I am craving her chourcroute, a traditional, French, Alsatian and in general central European dish that normally blends sour cabbage with smoked pork and sausage. I also love making that dish, in the depth of winter, but Spicer’s dish is a twist, lightened up by using salmon as the meat. Perfect for a Monday night dinner. It is made more elegant by adding a sauce; a tangy Gewurztraminer beurre blanc. I served this dish with Yukon gold potatoes that I peel, cut up, boil then drain. I heat a pan to medium high, add a few tablespoons of olive oil and place the potatoes in the pan and then break them up with a potato masher. I seasoned the potatoes with salt and pepper then let them sit in the pan to brown while I cook the salmon. The combination of the tangy sauerkraut, crunchy salmon (coated with panko then pan seared), smooth butter sauce with the potatoes to catch all of the flavors makes this dish one that I cook over and over. Please see my picture of this dish on my photos. I hope you enjoy it!

Salmon with Choucroute and Gewurztraminer Sauce

Susan Spicer of Bayona in New Orleans’s loves this dish because of the tart of the sauerkraut and spiciness of the Gewurztraminer that balances the richness of the fish. I completely agree and would recommend a dry Gewurztraminer, Riesling, or Pinot Gris; if you are in the mood, your favorite beer.

Chourcroute

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 red onion, thinly sliced
• 1 carrot, julienned (I use a benriner mandoline)
• 1 (16 ounce) jar sauerkraut
• 1 cup chicken stock
• ¼ cup white wine (I used the Gewurztraminer)
• ½ teaspoon coarsely chopped whole juniper berries
• 1 bay leaf
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• Snipped fresh chives, for garnish

Gewurztraminer Sauce

• 1 cup Gewurztraminer (you can substitute Riesling or another Alsatian white wine)
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped shallots
• 2 tablespoons cream, optional (this is my addition, find the sauce breaks less with the addition of a bit of cream)
• 4 tablespoon (1/2 stick) butter
• Pinch salt

Salmon

• 4 salmon fillets (about 6 ounces each)
• Salt and pepper
• 1 cup panko or dry bread crumbs, mixed with 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon butter

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and carrot and cook, stirring, until just wilted. Stir in the sauerkraut, stock, wine, and seasonings. Bring to a simmer and cook, about 15 minutes, then set aside, to keep warm.

Combine the wine, vinegar, and shallots in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer gently until the liquid is reduced to 2-3 tablespoons. Gradually add butter, in small pieces, whishing constantly, until the butter is incorporated, not melted. The sauce should be a shiny, creamy yellow. Add salt to taste. Taste, and adjust seasonings.

Season the salmon with salt and pepper and coat with the bread crumb mixture. Heat the olive oil in a wide skillet over medium-high heat. When it is very hot but not smoking, add salmon, presentation side down. Lover the heat to medium, add the butter, and use a spatula to lift. Cook until it is golden brown, about 3 minutes. Turn and cook about 3 more minutes, until salmon is just medium-rare. Cook a little longer if you like it more done, but not long enough to dry it out.

Divide the choucroute among four plates, top with a piece of salmon, and drizzle the sauce around the fish. Garnish with chives.