10980 Tuna Tartare with Avocado and Crispy Shallots 25 mins 15 mins 4 to 6 servings Wed Jun 13 12:10:00 -0700 2007 Wed Oct 01 13:54:28 -0700 2008 Easy Japanese CHOW http://www.chow.com/recipes/10980 Wed, 01 Oct 2008 20:54:28 GMT With sauce made from wasabi and honey With a sweet-hot sauce made from wasabi and honey. Though you can find raw tuna paired with avocado on menus everywhere, this version from BLT Steak is worth making at home. It combines a sweet-hot sauce with crunchy shallots for a welcome variation.

What to buy: The Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch program recommends avoiding bluefin tuna. Go for yellowfin instead; buy your fish from a reputable source, and let your fishmonger know that you will be serving it as tartare so he or she gives you a top-quality piece.

Dry wasabi powder can be found in gourmet groceries and Asian markets, or online. If you are having a hard time finding it, substitute prepared wasabi and omit the water.

Chef Tourondel uses mustard oil in this recipe, but it can be hard to find, so we used dry mustard powder in its place.

This recipe was featured in our 2007 no-cook story.

]]> For the crispy shallots:
  1. Pour oil into a small saucepan to a depth of about 1 inch and bring to 350°F over medium-high heat. Place flour in a small bowl and add shallots; toss to combine. Remove shallots from flour, shaking off excess, and add to hot oil.
  2. Fry until golden brown, about 3 to 5 minutes. Remove shallots with a slotted spoon and set on a paper towel–lined plate to drain. Season immediately with salt, and set aside while you make the tartare.
For the tuna tartare:
  1. In a medium bowl, whisk wasabi powder and water together until a paste has formed. Whisk in mirin, soy sauce, mustard powder, vinegar, and honey, and season well with freshly ground black pepper; set aside.
  2. Toss avocado with salt and freshly ground black pepper; set aside. Sprinkle olive oil, salt, and pepper over tuna and gently mix.
  3. To serve, divide avocado evenly among 6 chilled plates and top with tuna. Drizzle wasabi sauce over each serving and top with crispy shallots. Serve immediately.

Beverage pairing: Neil Ellis Sincerely Sauvignon Blanc, South Africa. This Sauvignon has classic qualities of flinty minerality, fresh herbs, and a smack of gooseberry fruit. It’s sharp enough to bring definition to the creamy avocado and tartare, but not so much so as to overwhelm.

]]> http://www.chow.com/assets/2007/07/tuna_tartare_290x210.jpg Laurent Tourondel 53 Starter For the crispy shallots::

]]> Vegetable oil, for frying

]]> 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

]]> 94 3 tablespoons coarsely chopped shallots

]]> For the tuna tartare::

]]> 291 1 tablespoon wasabi powder

]]> 2 tablespoons cold water

]]> 2 tablespoons white mirin

]]> 3 tablespoons reduced-sodium (light) soy sauce

]]> 310 1 teaspoon dry mustard powder

]]> 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar

]]> 1 teaspoon honey

]]> 96 2 medium Hass avocados, small dice

]]> 3 tablespoons olive oil

]]> 1 pound very fresh, high-quality tuna, cut into small dice and kept in the refrigerator

]]> 281 no cook 349 fish 7446 tartare 860 fresh 20 seafood 7447 blt 762 chef 7449 laurent tourondel 14 restaurant 7480 blt steak 1508 raw 7451 raw fish 1014 tuna 644 summer 1026 hot weather