Passport & Plate - Tuna Tataki with Wasabi Foam on Avocado Soup
Peru | Saturday, February 21, 2015 | 1 photos
Ingredients
For the tuna tataki:
- 1/2 pound *fresh* ahi tuna
- sesame seeds (1/4-1/2 cup)
- olive oil
- salt and pepper, to liking
- juice of 1 lime
For the wasabi foam:
- 300 ml cold water
- 60ml rice vinegar
- 1.9 soy lecithin
- 9g wasabi powder
For the avocado soup:
- 1/4 onion, finely chopped
- 1 chile, finely chopped (aji rocoto or aji limo preferred)
- 1 big garlic clove
- 1 ripe avocado
- 1/2 cup cold water
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1/4 cup cilantro leaves
- Salt and pepper to liking
Garnish:
- Wavy chips
- Edible flower (e.g. Apple tree flower)
How to prepare this recipeThe more convenient way to approach this dish is to make the soup first and let it chill in the refrigerator, then start on the foam 40 minutes before cooking the protein, cook the ahi tuna, and resume the foam before plating.
For the tataki:
Salt and pepper all four sides of the tuna. Every 1/2 inch (or 1/4 if you prefer thinner slices), make a cut that goes up to the middle of the portion. This will make cutting easier after it's seared. Heat olive oil on a saute pan on high heat. Sear the tuna on all four sides, 30 seconds each. Remove tuna from pan. Drizzle the juice on the pan to deglaze, and pour the juice on the tuna. Sprinkle with sesame seeds on all four sides. Let cool off.
For the foam:
In a tall beaker, pour water, rice vinegar, lecithin and wasabi powder. Mix with hand blender for a few seconds, then chill in the refrigerator for 20-40 minutes. Using the hand blender, mix thoroughly, incorporating air. The foam will rise on top and it will be stabilized by the lecithin.
For the avocado soup:
In a saute pan with olive oil, combine chopped onion, chile and garlic. When semi-transparent, remove the mix from heat, and let cool down. Blend together the avocado, cilantro leaves, salt, pepper, and onion-garlic-chile mix, adding water and chicken broth until you obtain a silky/smooth liquid. Chill in the fridge for 3-4 hours.
Plating:
Pour avocado soup on the base of a deep plate. Cut the tuna using the cuts made prior to searing. Place first slice on the soup, then add a wavy chip on top. Alternate tuna slice and wavy chips until reaching the other end of the plate. By the side of the tuna slices, put a generous amount of wasabi foam. Garnish with edible flower, if so desired.
The story behind this recipeWhen I was working in Peru last year, helping mothers and teachers from all over the country incorporate better health practices and more efficient teaching strategies for the children, I got to experience some of the most amazing flavors. It turns out, the cultural mix, the variety of climates, and the geographical diversity of Peru, all make for an explosive combination of dishes with intense taste and interesting textures. Peruvian cuisine is, without a doubt, becoming one of the most influential trends in modern cooking. This recipe is a celebration of Peru, a country that is gaining visibility and momentum, positioning itself as one of the rising economies of Latin America, opening up to interacting with other cultures from the world, all while making a big effort to maintain its origins and traditions. The availability of incredibly fresh fish in Peru is the core of this dish, which fuses with Japanese flavors, honoring one of the most current trends in Peruvian cuisine: Nikkei food. Peruvians and Japanese share common grounds in ethnography, history, and thankfully to all of us foodies, in cooking. This plate highlights this fusion by incorporating two strong elements: the silkiness of the avocado, and the intensity of the wasabi. The wavy chips, so beloved by Peruvians, remind us that you can still create a great, modern dish, while relying on your most basic and everyday ingredients. This recipe, to me, reflects Peru as I was able to experience it first hand, maintaining its traditions with an open mind for what's to come.
