Nori-seared Ahi with Citrus-Garlic Miso Sauce and Shiitake “Chopsticks”
This tasty appetizer is worth the effort: fans of seared ahi are surrounded by splashes of four sauces and criss-crossed with mushroom-filled “chopsticks.” Ginger, mustard, spicy-hot shichimi, and other Asian flavors accent the tuna. The “chopsticks” could be a wonderful garnish on many kinds of salads.
Ingredients
- Scallion-infused oil
- Green Onions - 1-1/2, including some green tops
- Fresh Ginger - pinch, grated
- Olive Oil - 1/2 cup
- Pinch of salt
- Water - 1/2 teaspoon
- Soy-Mustard Sauce
- Colman’s Dry Mustard - 1/4 cup
- Plain rice wine vinegar - 2 tablespoons
- Soy Sauce - 1/4 cup
- Citrus-Garlic Miso Sauce
- Fresh Ginger - 1/2 tablespoon, minced
- Garlic - 1/2 tablespoon, minced
- Fish stock or clam juice - 1 cup
- White miso paste - 1/4 cup
- Orange Juice - 1/2 orange
- Lemon Juice - 1/2 lemon
- Lime Juice - 1/2 lime
- “Chopsticks”
- Asian sesame oil - 1/2 tablespoon
- Green Onions - 2 tablespoons, finely chopped
- Fresh Ginger - 1 tablespoon, grated
- Fresh Shiitakes - 1/3 ounce, stemmed and finely chopped
- Sake - 1 tablespoon
- Soy Sauce - 1 tablespoon
- Lumpia or Eggroll wrappers - 4
- Egg Wash - 1 egg white with 1 teaspoon water (egg wash)
- Canola oil - 1/4 cup, for frying
- Spicy Sesame Aioli
- Mayonnaise - 1/4 cup
- Shichimi - pinch
- Fresh Ginger - 1/2 teaspoon, minced
- Garlic - 1/2 teaspoon, minced
- Plain rice wine vinegar - 2 tablespoons
- Pinch of salt
- Asian sesame oil - 1/2 teaspoon
- Black Sesame Seeds - 1/2 teaspoon, toasted
- White Sesame Seeds - 1/2 teaspoon, toasted
- Sashimi-grade ahi tuna - 12 ounces
- Salt to taste
- Salt and freshly cracked pepper - 1 tablespoon
- Furikake - 1/2 cup
- Black Sesame Seeds - 2 tablespoons, toasted
- White Sesame Seeds - 2 tablespoons, toasted
- Garnish
- Green Onions - 1/4 cup, finely chopped
Instructions
To make the infused oil: Place all ingredients in a blender or food processor and process until smooth. Strain through a fine-meshed sieve and set aside.
To make the soy-mustard sauce: In a small bowl, mix the Colman’s mustard with the hot water to form a paste. Mix in the rice vinegar and the soy sauce, stirring until smooth. Strain through a fine-meshed sieve and set aside.
To make the miso sauce: In a small saucepan, combine the ginger, garlic, and fish stock or clam juice and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Whisk in the miso paste, then the citrus juices and soy sauce. Bring to a boil. Strain through a fine-meshed sieve. Set aside; keep warm.
To make the shiitake “chopsticks:” In a small saute pan or skillet over high heat, heat the sesame oil and saute the green onions, ginger, and mushrooms until soft, about 3 minutes. Add the sake and soy sauce and stir to scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Cook over medium heat until the mixture is dry. Set aside and let cool. In a blender or food processor, puree the mixture until smooth.
Cut each lumpia wrapper in half diagonally and place a long thin line of the mushroom mixture along one edge of the wrapper. Carefully roll tightly to form a long, thin “chopstick” shape; moisten the edges with egg wash to seal. Repeat to fill and roll the remaining wrappers. Heat the oil over medium-high heat and fry the wrappers until brown and crisp, about 1 to 2 minutes. Using a slotted spatula, transfer to paper towels to drain.
To make the aioli: Combine all the ingredients except the sesame seeds in a blender and process until smooth. Stir in the seeds. Set aside.
To prepare the ahi: Season the ahi with salt an pepper, then roll in the furikake and sesame seeds. In a large saute pan or skillet over high heat, heat the oil and sear the ahi for 30 seconds per side, or until the outside is seared and the center is still rare.
To serve: Cut the ahi into very thin slices and place on the center of each plate. Drizzle the miso sauce, aioli, oil, and soy-mustard sauce around the fish. Cross 2 shiitake “chopsticks” on each plate. Garnish with green onions.
