Tuna Tiramisu

Every so often I forget to post recipes and get reminders from anonymous folks in the comments box with things like "where are the recipes?" or reminders from not-so-anonymous folks like "ranting a plenty, but the other side?"

So, here is a recipe that I was not going to give out. It is something that I invented about nine years ago, although it was originally closer to sashimi. It changed when I was researching the Futurist banquet and realized that tiramisu was probably a futurist invention. In the spirit of the Italian Futurists, I modified this recipe to something more like what it is now.

It's final form was the result of watching Paul Bocuse make a red wine and herb reduction for a fish dish.

Why Tiramisu?

Everyone knows what tiramisu is (or at least how it has degenerated in most restaurants): layers of espresso soaked ladyfingers, cocoa powder, and a mixture of zabaglione and mascarpone folded together. Often restaurants add rum and whipped cream and chocolate sauce, but those are silly little distractions. The only liquor should be the marsala in the zabaglione.

So I build this with layers (although I usually do it in one layer, constructed on the plates in individual servings) of seared Ahi tuna for the ladyfingers and a savory red zabaglione and mascarpone mixture. I have settled on serving it on a lightly dressed bed of arugula, since the peppery greens add a lot.

So, start by putting a diced shallot, a peeled whole clove of garlic, a few sprigs of thyme, a bay leaf, and fresh cracked pepper in a large non-reactive skillet with a bottle of fruity red wine (Two Buck Chuck Cab is perfect). Simmer and reduce to about a quarter of a cup. Strain and reserve this reduction.

Prepare a large work bowl with ice and water. Set in a place where you can get to it from the stove.

Over a double boiler whisk four egg yolks continually over moderate heat. You are making a custard, but without the sugar that normally goes into it and the addition of the acidic wine syrup, you must take great care to avoid scrambling, as an unctious texture is essential to this dish. Granularity in your zabaglione will be unpleasant. When it is starting to thicken, trickle the syrup into the yolks, continually beating. When it has reached the consistancy of creme anglaise, take your double boiler top and, all the while whisking, put the bottom of it in the ice water. What you are doing is completely halting the cooking so that you can stop having to provide continuous motion.

Fold a tub of mascarpone into the zabaglione. If you want it more pungeant, use a small tub (those little ones that are about an inch and a half tall), if you want creamier, use the larger one that is about four inches tall. But either way, fold it gently but thoroughly. You will have enough of the mixture to feed an army. We have been having an average of 16 people to Christmas and we always have a bit left over, as this stuff is rich (it keeps for a couple of weeks). We are using tuna tiramisu as the first course in a large meal, however, so if you make this your main course, you will probably not be able to serve 16.

Now, dress your arugula in a light dressing:

Dice a shallot. Let it steep in a puddle of balsamic vinegar for 20 minutes. Add a dallop of Dijon mustard, and Extra Virgin olive oil and whisk together. Adjust to taste, keeping the acidity low by using balsamic vinegar instead of lemon juice or stronger vinegar.

Set up your work area, so that you have the bowl of dressed greens, the bowl of zabaglione/mascarpone and a stack of plates. Your assistant's job is to prepare a bed of greens in 30 seconds and then to stand at your side. When you place the seared tuna on the bed of greens, he is to cover the tuna with the zabaglione/mascarpone, get the dish to the table, return and have another plate ready to go in 120 seconds or less. You can do this solo, but obviously it works best with two or three assistants (I have a system where one assistant handles two plates and I have a line up two deep so I can manipulate four medallions at a time. Until you have practiced and have a system, do not do more than two at a time, because it becomes very easy to fuss over one and to let another get overcooked).

Your job is to sear the tuna medallions on all sides, allowing only the outsides to change color. I do it on a non-stick skillet at high heat. I might lightly brush the skillet with oil, but not too much. You do not want the cooking to penetrate much at all. For this reason you must start with high quality, sashimi grade, fish.

If a piece is done and a plate is not ready, put it on a holding plate and don't start the next piece until the line is ready.

If you are going solo, have the arugula already on the plates. Sear a medallion, cover with the mixture, then go on to the next one. The cold mixture will help halt the cooking, and will bring the surface back down in temperature (if the seared parts are hot, that is fine, but I prefer a more room temperature dish - naturally this only works if you are planning on no leftovers, because you are risking it if you put seared tuna in the fridge that has been out at room temperature).

I am thinking of adding seaweed or salsify to the salad greens this year, although I am not sure. I never take plates back to the kitchen with anything but perhaps a stray arugula leaf on them, so part of me thinks that I should stop tampering.

If you want to explore the earlier version it was simply a piece of raw fish over lightly dressed mung bean sprouts and arugula, with ribbons of soy-sauce mascarpone and wasabi mascarpone (you can get creative with the brown and green ribbons, or circles or what have you). To make the mascarpone, just beat in soy in one batch and wasabi in another. Simple. This was basically a Westernization of the classic sashimi. It is quite tasty, although once I invented tuna tiramisu, I have not gone back to this. If I ever want the Japanese way of eating, I simply eat sashimi, which is one of those great joys in life.

This is a complex recipe, so if you have any questions before you try it, feel free to email me at EKeilholtz@aol.com.

Posted by erik at December 16, 2003 12:09 PM | TrackBack