Hand Cut Ahi Tuna Tartare

Serves 4

Ingredients:

8 Oz Ahi Tuna, diced
1 Tbsp Fleur de Sel
1 Tspn Cracked Tellicherry Peppercorn
1 Each Avocado, quartered and cut into fans
1/2 Cup Beets
2 Tbsp Yuzu Juice
2 Tbsp Mustard Oil (buy prepared or make your own)
1/2 Cup Black Radish, julienne

Beets:
1 Cup Mirin
2 Cups Water
4 Each Whole Beets, not peeled
Pinch of Sugar and Salt

Mustard Oil:
1 Cup Olive Oil
2 Cups Canola Oil
2 Tbsp Mustard Seed

Directions:

Beets
Combine mirin and water, and then add the sugar and salt; bring to a boil. Add beets and then let the mixture simmer for 35 minutes. Drain beets from the solution, reserving juice and setting beets aside to cool. Place reserved beet juice back on stove over low heat and reduce by ¾ until the reduction is of a syrup consistency (about 15-20 minutes). Peel and dice the cooked, cooled beets and pour reduction sauce over them.

Mustard Oil
Heat a pan and add the oils. Heat to about 350°F and add the whole mustard seed. Remove from heat and let the seeds steep in the hot oil for about 1 hour. Strain seeds from the oil.

To Plate
Place 2 ounces of diced tuna in a small ring mold in the center of each plate. Top with fleur de sel and peppercorns, then place an avocado fan on top. Garnish with cooked beets, then lightly sprinkle the plate with yuzu juice and mustard oil. Finish with a good sprinkling of julienne black radish.

Notes: Fleur de Sel is a fine gourmet salt that’s world renowned for its wonderful taste. These exceptionally flavorful crystals are raked and harvested by hand along the Atlantic and Mediterranean coasts of France and Spain. Fleur de Sel is often sprinkled over foods just before serving.