Recipe: Appetizer:
Tuna Tartare with Wasabi Mayonnaise

An easy version of a dish offered at Tribeca Grill, this is a fun way to achieve elegant tuna tartare at home. Just buy sushi-grade tuna and be sure to keep it chilled until serving time. You can substitute flour tortillas or even thin slices of toasted French bread for the spring roll wrappers. Makes approximately 30 pieces.

Three 8" spring roll wrappers (or flour tortillas, or approximately 30 thin slices of French bread, toasted)

Vegetable oil for frying

1 cup mayonnaise, preferably homemade, but good quality store-bought will do
Juice of one lemon
2 tablespoons wasabi paste (can buy wasabi powder at many grocery stores these days!)
1 pound sushi-grade tuna
¼ cup soy sauce
1 tablespoon sake (optional)
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
½ clove garlic, minced
small pinch red pepper flakes
1 ounce salmon caviar

Wrap the tuna in plastic wrap and place in freezer for about 15 minutes to make cutting easier. Remove from freezer and cut into ¼" dice. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Cut spring roll wrappers into 2" squares. Heat a couple of inches of vegetable oil to 365F in a small saucepan. Working with a few at a time, fry the squares until crisp and golden, about 15 seconds. Drain on paper towels.

Combine the soy sauce and sake in a small bowl and stir in sugar until dissolved. Add ginger, garlic and red pepper flakes. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Combine the mayonnaise with the lemon juice and 1 tablespoon of wasabi paste in a small bowl. Refrigerate until ready to use.

When ready to serve, mix the diced tuna with just enough of the soy sauce mixture to moisten it. Stir in the remaining wasabi paste to taste - be sure to blend well.

Spoon a scant tablespoon of the tuna mixture onto each fried square. Garnish with a small dollop of wasabi mayonnaise and a small dot of salmon caviar. Serve immediately.

Wine Skinny Match: Tiny bubbles, but of course!

(Party Planning oct 2005)