Grilled Hawaiian Escolar
Yields: 4 Portions
Portion Size: 5 oz.
Ingredients:
2 Hawaiian Escolar, found in most specialty stores. Can be replaced with Yellow Fin Tuna.
4 Ears Sweet Yellow Corn
12 pc’s White Pearl Onions
2 Bunches Green Asparagus
1/4 # Butter
TT Cayenne Pepper
2 pc’s Garlic Cloves, peeled and chopped
¼ cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 pc Lemon
2 cups Chicken Stock
¼ # Dark Bitter Chocolate 72%
2 Tb. Ice Wine Vinegar
1 cup hickory wood chips
TT Salt and Pepper
Outdoor Grill
Method of Preparation:Preparing the Escolar: Portion the Escolar into nice think steaks and reserve until cooking. Pre-heat the grill on high.
Cooking the Corn: Place the corn into a large pot and submerge with salted water. Put pot over high heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Then remove the corn. Using a knife remove the kernels from the cob. Cool and reserve.
Pearl Onions: Peel the pearl onions with a small knife and give them a quick rinse. Place a medium size pan over low heat and add 1 oz of cooking oil followed by the pearl onions. Slowly roast the onions until golden brown; it should take about 15 minutes. When the onions are golden, add ¼ cup of chicken stock and 1 tea. of butter. Simmer for another 2 minutes, then remove and reserve.
Asparagus: Trim about 2 inches from the bottom of the asparagus and rinse well with water. Add the asparagus to a mixing bowl with the juice of one lemon, extra virgin olive oil, chopped garlic, salt and pepper. Toss and marinate until you start to grill the Escolar.
Making the Sauce: When the grill is hot, place the hickory chips in a foil pouch. Carefully remove the actual grill part and place the foil pouch directly on the fire, then put the grill back. Once the wood chips begin to burn a little, turn the grill off and close the top. Meanwhile, add the bitter chocolate to a small pot and place onto the grill and close the top again. Once the chocolate has melted, remove the pot. Also, remove the pouch and turn the grill on again. Add the vinegar to the chocolate and mix well. The chocolate should be sauce consistency, if it is too thick add a little water to thin the sauce.
Plating the dish: Season all the Escolar steaks with salt and pepper and brush with a little oil. When the grill is really hot, add Escolar to the grill. For 1 inch steaks, it should take about 3 minutes on each side to cook; add 1 minute for every ½ inch. When the Escolar is cooking, add the asparagus on the other side of the grill and cook until tender. Warm the corn in a small pot with the onions with a little butter and season with salt and pepper. When the Escolar is done, arrange the asparagus and corn on the plate and place the Escolar on top of the corn. Finish the dish by drizzling the smoked chocolate sauce over the fish.