The
Trés Sea Roll (Seared
Albacore* Roll)
By Tracy Griffith - Rika
Restaurant, Los Angeles, CA
Makes 4 (sushi rolls)
Ingredients for the sushi
rolls:
1
1/2 C short grain sushi rice
3 T seasoned rice vinegar
3 T canola oil
1 large shallot, peeled, thinly sliced crosswise, separated
into rings
2 T flour
1/2 C cornmeal
1/4 C pork rinds, finely ground
2 T mixed black and white sesame seeds
Black pepper
1/2 lb. 1" sushi-grade albacore tuna fillet
2 T canola oil
Juice of 1 lemon
1 Granny Smith apple, cored, sliced 1/4î sticks
1 bunch fresh chives, trimmed
4 half-sheets nori
Sushi rolling mat
Procedures:
Pour rice into a mesh colander and rinse until water
is almost clear. Fan out rice against colander sides
and dry for 20 minutes. Place dry rice in rice cooker
and fill with cold water until rice is covered by 1/4-inch
of water.Close lid and click ìcook.
Place
lemon juice in small glass bowl with 1 tablespoon water.
Add apple sticks and let marinate for 30 minutes. Drain
and pat dry.
Put
flour in a small plastic bag with shallot rings. Shake
to dust. Heat canola oil on medium-high heat. Fry shallot
rings in canola oil until crisp. Drain on paper towels.
In
flat dish, mix cornmeal, sesame seeds, ground pork rinds
and black pepper. Press albacore fillet firmly into
mixture to coat all sides.
In
skillet, heat canola oil to smoking. Add albacore and
sear on all sides, about 1 minute. Remove to cutting
board and cool. Slice into 4-inch by 1/2-inch strips.
When
rice finishes cooking, about 25 minutes, and rests on
warm setting at least 10ñ15 minutes, scoop cooked
rice out of cooker into a large, flat dish. Spread out
with rice paddle to release steam. Sprinkle seasoned
rice vinegar over rice and toss to coat thoroughly.
Place rice back into rice cooker and click on warm setting.
Lay
one half-sheet of nori on sushi rolling mat, shiny-side-down.
Wet
hands and spread 1/3 cup sushi rice evenly over nori,
leaving 1-inch border at top. Lay double albacore strips
in a horizontal line down middle of rice. Place a single
line of apple sticks alongside albacore. Place 3 chive
sprigs on top of albacore.
Hook
thumbs under nearest edge of rolling mat and curl up
and over ingredients, tucking them in with fingers.
Holding roll firmly with one hand, lift edge of mat
and continue rolling forward until roll is completely
closed. Squeeze length of mat firmly to tighten roll.
Ingredients
for the jalapeòo soy sauce:
2
jalapeòos, roasted over open flame, cooled, peeled,
seeded, roughly chopped
1/2 C sake
1/3 C lemon juice
1/2 C soy sauce
3 T grated ginger
2 T sugar
2 T arrowroot powder
Procedure:
Combine all ingredients but arrowroot powder in small
sauce pan and simmer for 5 minutes. Strain. Warm again
over low heat, whisking in arrowroot powder. Simmer
for another 5 minutes until thickened. Cool. Store in
squeeze bottles. Makes 1 cup.
To
serve:
Wet knife and cut into 8 even pieces. Top each piece
with crisped shallots and serve with a swirl of jalapeÒo
soy sauce.
*Seafood
Watch: recommends albacore caught by pole or by trolling
from either British Columbia or the Pacific Coast of
the U.S. (this product also carries the Marine Stewardship
Councilís blue eco-label for sustainably-caught
seafood).