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June 2006

Reflection:

High Tides

I was in the Marine Room one Friday night during high tide. The dining room is typically filled with a dynamic of different vignettes; heads bent together romantically at one table, glasses clinking together in toast after toast as a group celebrates at another. A proposal here, an anniversary over there, businessmen closing their deals. On this night, I heard a collective intake of breath, of excitement, of awe and finally laughter and a rush of dialogue from our guests as the waves hit the glass. It was as if the ocean wanted to entertain us and heard the approval and encouragement of our guests. The grace and movement of the water sweeping the glass was a ballet. It is a dance of nature that we are blessed to witness in the balmy nights of summer, here at the Marine Room


Tip:

Tomatoes: Buying and storing tips
Tomatoes should be firm and juicy, with bright, unblemished skin. Buy them garden-ripe when possible, choosing those that give a little when squeezed and have a deep color. A good way to tell whether a tomato is ripe is to smell it. It should smell like a tomato; unripe ones have no aroma. Store tomatoes at room temperature and, once they are ripe, use them within a few days.


Recipe:

"Sesame Peppered Ruby Red Ahi Tuna"
Thai Rice, Crisp Mango Salad, Avocado Beignet, Pinot Gris Hibiscus Essence


Thai Rice
2 cups black thai rice
3 cups cold water
1/4 tsp. togarashi
2 Tbsp. honey
3 Tbsp. seasoned rice vinegar
1 tsp. dry plum powder
3 Tbsp. grapeseed oil
** sea salt
Combine rice and water in large saucepan. Bring to boil. Reduce to simmer. Cover. Cook 12 minutes or until water is absorbed. Transfer rice to large mixing bowl. Combine with remaining ingredients.

Crisp Mango Salad
1 mango, peeled, seeded, julienned
1/2 cup fennel bulb, julienned
1 tsp. cilantro leaves, finely chopped
1 lemon, juiced
2 Tbsp. Cuervo Gold tequila
dash Tabasco
** sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
In large bowl gently mix mango, fennel and cilantro with wooden spatula. Incorporate lemon juice, tequila, and Tabasco. Season to taste with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Set aside.

Avocado Beignet
1 cup cold water
1/2 cup tempura / beignet batter mix
1 cup cold water
1 Tbsp. basil, finely chopped
1 Tbsp. oregano, finely chopped
pinch paprika
pinch cayenne pepper
2 acocados, seed removed, sliced
Pour cold water into mixing bowl. Add tempura batter mix. Blend well with wire whisk. Add basil, oregano, paprika and cayenne pepper. Set aside. If mix is too thick add small amount of water. Pre-heat fryer to 365°F. Oil should be minimum of 5" deep. Dip avocados in prepared tempura mix. Deep fry 20 seconds, one at a time. Place on paper towels to remove excess oil.

Sesame Peppered Ruby Red Ahi Tuna
1/2 cup white sesame seeds
1/2 cup black sesame seeds
2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
** sea salt
6 7 oz. center cut sushi grade Hawaiian ahi tuna steaks, 1" thick
3 Tbsp. grapeseed oil
Place sesame seeds into two separate shallow bowls. Toss each with 1 tsp. of freshly ground black pepper and sea salt. Working with one tuna steak at a time, press one side of tuna into white sesame seeds and the other side into black sesame seeds. Place heavy skillet over high heat. Pour in 1 Tbsp. grapeseed oil. Sear tuna one minute on each side. Set aside. Repeat process.

Pinot Gris Hibiscus Essence
1/2 cup pinot gris
1 tangerine, juiced
2 Tbsp. shallots, chopped
4 dried hibiscus flowers
1 stick unsalted butter, cut into cubes
** sea salt and finely ground white pepper
In medium saucepan combine pinot gris, tangerine juice, shallots, and hibiscus flowers. Cook over medium heat. Reduce liquid by 2/3. Whisk in butter. Strain through fine sieve. Season with sea salt and finely ground white pepper.

Presentation
6 mint sprigs
6 wonton fans
Place three" wide by one" tall ring on center top part of large serving plate. Pack thai rice into ring. Remove ring. Top rice with crisp mango salad. Cut tuna on bias crosswise. Lean tuna against rice with one of each colored side showing. Spoon sauce around. Garnish with avocado beignets, mint sprigs and wonton fans

 


 

Bon Appetit!!
Executive Chef Bernard Guillas
The Marine Room, La Jolla, California





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