TUNA POKE WITH MANGO AND AVOCADO
Makes 8 to 12 servings
More and more people are saying sayonara to sashimi and ta-ta to tuna tartare. For those in the know, the way to enjoy raw fish now hails from Hawaii, and it’s called poke (pronounced POH-kay to rhyme with “okay”). You can serve poke as a snack on rice crackers, slices of cucumber, or endive or Bibb lettuce leaves, or by itself in porcelain Asian soupspoons.
2 tablespoons white sesame seeds
3 scallions, white parts and 4 inches of green tops
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
¼ cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
½ small jalapeño or serrano chile, seeds and ribs removed, finely chopped (optional)
1 ripe avocado, peeled and cut into ½-inch dice
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
1 ripe yellow Champagne (Ataulfo) mango or ½ Tommy Atkins mango, cut into ½-inch dice
1 pound sushi-grade tuna or salmon, cut into ½-inch cubes
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Seaweed salad for serving (optional)
Place a small skillet over medium heat and toast the sesame seeds for 3 minutes, or until browned. Set aside. Chop the white parts of the scallions and thinly slice the green tops on the diagonal. Reserve them separately.
Combine 1 tablespoon of the sesame seeds, chopped white scallions, ginger, soy sauce, oil, and chile, if using, in a mixing bowl and stir well. Toss the avocado with the lime juice, and add it to the bowl along with the mango, tuna, and cilantro. Toss gently, and season with salt and black pepper to taste.
To serve, place a mound of the fish mixture on a small plate, and garnish with the remaining sesame seeds and seaweed salad, if using.
Notes: The dish can be made up to 1 hour in advance and refrigerated, with plastic wrap pressed onto the surface to keep the avocado from discoloring.
There are two main species of mangoes in our markets. Champagne, sometimes called Ataulfo mangoes, are small, have yellow skin, and are almost flat in shape. The Tommy Atkins mango is rounder and about twice the size, and its peel is a reddish color with green and orange accents.
BLACK OLIVE AND RAISIN TAPENADE
Makes 2 cups
Tapenade is a classic Provençal spread, and I love this version because the saltiness of the olives is balanced by the sweetness of brandy-soaked raisins. Serve it with pita crisps or crackers.
¾ cup raisins
¼ cup brandy
1½ cups pitted oil-cured black olives
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tablespoon anchovy paste, or ½ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
⅔ cup olive oil
2 tablespoons capers, drained and rinsed
Freshly ground black pepper
Combine the raisins and brandy in a small microwave-safe bowl, and microwave on high for 1 minute.
Combine the raisin mixture, olives, garlic, lemon juice, anchovy paste, parsley, and thyme in a food processor. Purée until smooth. Add the oil slowly through the feed tube, and mix well.
Scrape the mixture into a mixing bowl, and stir in the capers. Season with pepper to taste.
Note: The spread can be made up to 2 days in advance and refrigerated, tightly covered. Allow it to reach room temperature before serving.
Variation: Substitute dried figs or dates for the raisins.
GINGER GRAVLAX WITH CILANTRO MUSTARD SAUCE
Makes 3 dozen canapés
Traditional gravlax is a Scandinavian dish; it literally means “buried fish.” The basic combination of salt and sugar—the curing agents—are part of this recipe, however the classic dill has been replaced by pungent ginger. The Asian theme is reinforced with aromatic sesame oil and cilantro in the mustard sauce. This is not an impromptu dish, however. Please note that it must be started two days in advance.
GRAVLAX:
1½ pounds skin-on salmon fillet
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup kosher salt
¼ cup ground ginger
¼ cup coarsely ground black pepper
1 thin baguette, thinly sliced and toasted, or melba toast crackers
Sprigs of fresh cilantro
CILANTRO MUSTARD SAUCE:
½ cup Dijon mustard
⅓ cup honey
¼ cup toasted sesame oil
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
Rinse the salmon fillet under cold water and rub your hand across the surface from the tail to the head end. Remove any small bones with tweezers. Combine the sugar, salt, ginger, and pepper. Place one third of the mixture in the bottom of a glass baking dish. Place the salmon on top, skin-side down, and then spread on the remaining seasoning mixture.
Cover the baking dish with a double layer of plastic wrap and place a smaller baking dish over the fillet. Weight the salmon down with 5 pounds of cans or a heavy skillet for 3 hours at room temperature. Pour off any liquid that has accumulated and transfer the weighted salmon to the refrigerator for 2 days.
For the sauce, whisk together the mustard, honey, oil, and cilantro until smooth. Refrigerate the sauce, tightly covered.
To serve, rinse the coating off the salmon. Cut the fish on the diagonal into very thin slices, starting at the tail end of the fillet. Form the slices into small circles and place each on a toasted bread slice or cracker. Spoon a dab of sauce into the center of the circle and garnish with a few leaves of cilantro.
Note: The salmon can be sliced up to 1 day in advance. Do not arrange it until just before serving.
Variation: For traditional gravlax, substitute ⅔ cup chopped fresh dill for the ground ginger and add 1 tablespoon fennel seeds to the curing mix. For the sauce, substitute olive oil for the sesame oil, chopped fresh dill for the cilantro, and 2 tablespoons granulated sugar for the honey.