Ingredients:
Big Eye Tuna Timbale avocado, tomato, cilantro, lime, chili’s, cucumber
4-5 oz. Big Eye Tuna ( medium dice )
2T Ripe Plum Tomatoes ( small dice )
1-2 ea. Fresh Lime ( juice of )
pinch of Red Chili Peppers ( very thinly sliced )
pinch of Fresh Cilantro ( chopped )
pinch of Sea Salt
3-6 pieces English cucumber ( quick pickle recipe to follow ) reserve for garnish
½ ea Avocado ( perfectly ripe ) reserve for final assembly
Ahi Tuna Tartare
micro herbs, toasted garlic, tomato, spicy lemon pickle, black pepper tuiles
4-5 oz. Ahi tuna ( medium dice )
1-2 clvs Fresh peeled garlic ( thinly sliced )
2T Ripe Plum Tomatoes ( small dice )
1 ea Fresh Lemon ( juice of )
2 pinch Micro Herbs ( available in most fine food stores )
tt Sea salt
4 ea Black Pepper Tuiles ( recipe to follow )
2 T Spicy Lemon Pickle ( recipe to follow )
English (seedless) Cucumber “quick pickle“
2 ea. English cucumber
tt Sea salt
1 pt. Rice wine vinegar
Spicy Lemon Pickle ( Preserved Lemon )
Garnish for Ahi Tuna Tartare
5 ea. Lemons ( nip tip & ¼ )
1 T Kosher salt
1 T Granulated Sugar
4 ea Red Thai Chili Peppers ( leave whole )
* ¼ c Granulated Sugar ( for final processing )
Black pepper Tuile Batter (hippen mais)
Garnish for Ahi Tuna Tartare
4 oz. Whole Butter ( room temperature, soft )
1c 10x Sugar ( confectioners sugar )
4 ea. Egg Whites
1c A.P. Flour
1 T Cracked Black Pepper
tt Sea Salt
Method of preparation:
Big Eye Tuna Timbale avocado, tomato, cilantro, lime, chili’s, cucumber
Prepare in advance the pickled cucumber.
Serving procedure;
Combine the tuna, tomato, chili pepper, cilantro, sea salt and lime.
Mix gently just before service. Place mixture in a ring mold, in this sequence ; avocado ( spoon slice ) half of the tuna mixture, more avocado and the remainder of the tuna mixture. Compress gently and transfer to a serving dish (remove the ring mold ). Garnish with the pickled cucumber and serve immediately. Yields 1 qt.
English (seedless) Cucumber “quick pickle“
Slice cucumbers ½” thick, place in ice water for a few minutes.
Remove cucumbers and season with sea salt to taste.
Place cucumbers in a mason jar and fill with rice vinegar.
Refrigerate overnight .
Drain the vinegar and replace with cold water.
Refrigerate for future use.
Ahi Tuna Tartare
Prepare ahead the spicy lemon pickle
Prepare ahead the tuile batter
Prepare ahead the toasted garlic by simply pan frying the thin slices in very little amount of oil over medium heat, until golden brown and crisp. Drain on paper towel and reserve for final plating.
Serving procedure: Combine Ahi Tuna, toasted garlic, tomatoes, micro herbs sea salt and lemon in a mixing bowl. Mix gently, just before service. Place mixture in a ring mold and compress gently, transfer to the serving dish ( remove the ring mold ). Top with lemon pickle and garnish with black pepper tuiles. Serve immediately.
Spicy Lemon Pickle ( Preserved Lemon )
Garnish for Ahi Tuna Tartare
Combine all ingredients ( except for the *1/4 cup sugar for final processing ) in a 1 quart Mason jar. Shake the jar vigorously and let stand at room temperature ( do not refrigerate ) Let rest for 4 days and shake the jar a couple of times a day.
After 4 days, remove the lemon quarters, reserve any juice.
Pick out the chili peppers using gloves and trim off the stem and cut the peppers into pieces.
Trim the lemon from the rind and using a knife, roughly chop the rind.
Place the rind and the chili peppers into a food processor.
Press all the lemon pulp through a strainer and reserve with the other juice from the initial process.
Blend the rind and the juice in the food processor until it starts to smooth out, add the reserved sugar and taste. You may need more sugar to balance the tart, sweet and spicy flavors. Store in small mason type jelly jars in the refrigerator.
This condiment has many uses.
Black pepper Tuile Batter ( hippen mais )
Garnish for Ahi Tuna Tartare
Cream together, butter and sugar 1 to 2 minutes using a hand mixer with creaming paddles. Add egg whites, 1 at a time while mixing at medium speed, (you will see the mixture separate) and then bind together after each addition of egg white. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula after each addition of egg white. Add flour, salt & pepper, mix until smooth. Place mixture in an airtight container. Refrigerate at least I hour before using. Mixture can keep up to 5 days well chilled. Spread into form/ shape on a silpat ( non-stick baking mat ) mat on a sheet pan. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for approximately 4-5 minutes. Remove tuiles from the silpat mat and let cool for service