Tuna Sashimi Salad with Sesame Vinaigrette ►
Hans Rockenwagner finds many creative ways to add layers of flavor to his dishes. This salad, draped with barely-seared sashimi tuna, includes ginger-infused butter and pickled baby shiitake caps. The ginger-infused butter could be used in many other ways, topping fish, steak, or vegetables.
Ingredients
- Unsalted Butter - 1/4 cup
- Ginger - 2 teaspoons, minced
- Sesame Vinaigrette
- Rice Wine Vinegar - 3/4 cup
- Granulated Sugar - 2-1/2 teaspoons
- White Sesame Seeds - 1 tablespoon,toasted
- Soy Sauce - 2 tablespoons
- Sesame Oil - 1/4 cup
- Vegetable Oil - 1/2 cup
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Aluminum Foil Squares - Six 5-by-5-inch
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Sushi-Quality Tuna - 1-1/2 pounds
- Mache - 6 cups, loosely packed (alt. mesclun lettuces)
- Pickled Baby Shiitake Caps - 1 cup (recipe follows)
- Chives - 2 tablespoons, finely chopped
Instructions
Melt the butter over low heat and stir in the ginger. Remove from the heat and set aside to infuse for 2 to 3 hours, or overnight.
In a small saucepan, heat the vinegar and whisk in the sugar until dissolved. Remove from the heat and let cool. Stir in the sesame seeds and soy sauce, then whisk in the sesame and vegetable oils until the mixture is completely emulsified. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Warm the ginger-infused butter until soft enough to spread easily. Brush each sheet of aluminum foil with some of the butter, and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Slice the tuna about 1/4-inch thick. Place two slices in a single layer on each piece of foil.
Preheat a grill, griddle, or large saute pan to very high heat.
To serve: Toss the lettuce with just enough vinaigrette to coat the leaves; reserve the remaining vinaigrette for another use. Mound an equal quantity of the salad on each of six serving plates. Transfer the sheets of foil to the hot grill and cook for about 30 seconds, or until the tuna is seared on one side and still raw on the other. Immediately transfer the tuna slices, raw side up, to the plates and drape them loosely around the edges of the salads. Garnish with shiitake caps and sprinkle with chives.
Pickled Baby Shiitake Caps
In a large, heavy saucepan, heat the sesame oil over medium heat. Add the garlic, ginger, and mushrooms and saute for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the mushrooms are just golden and dry. Add the vinegar and stir up the glaze from the bottom of the pan. Reduce over medium heat until almost no liquid remains. Stir in the sambal and remove from the heat. Season to taste with salt. Add the vinaigrette and stir to mix. Set aside at room temperature.
