Here in the Islands, we love our ahi tuna. I would be happy to eat this every day. This is the rice bowl of my dreams! Light, fluffy, Japanese rice topped with furikake seared ahi, vegetables and a homemade dressing that is drizzled over everything in the bowl. I use the dressing in this recipe too. It’s a zingy sauce made with fresh lime zest, lime juice, soy sauce, and lots of freshly grated ginger. It’s tasty and versatile.
I always keep a package of edamame in the freezer. It is easy to prepare and so good in this dish (as well as in salads). Whatever other ingredients you choose to add to your ahi rice bowl, let the fish be the star of the dish. The mild flavors of blanched carrots and creamy avocado cubes are perfect. Try to include the sweet and tangy pickled ginger. It is such a nice accompaniment to the rice and fish. Scatter thinly sliced jalapeños or pretty, red Fresno peppers over your rice bowl if you want to add some heat. For a vegetarian rice bowl, substitute your favorite tofu in place of the fish. If you are a fan of nori, scatter thin strips over the rice bowl just before serving it. And if you can find bubu arare by all means add this too. They are the little crispy golden rice balls you see in the photos of the ahi bowls that add a crunchy and toasty flavor to each bite.
Lime zest, lime juice, sugar and water are quickly heated in a pan then poured through a fine mesh strainer. Just the liquid is used for the dressing. Once it has cooled the other ingredients are added to complete the dressing.
Buy the freshest ahi block you can find. I visit or call my favorite local markets to ensure the fish has been cut that very same day. If it has been sitting on the shelf for more than a day, I take a pass and try again another time. Coating the ahi block with furikake creates a light seasoning and crunchy texture (from the sesame seeds) that is perfect for this dish.
Cooked Japanese short grain white rice (I use my rice cooker and measure out 1 cup uncooked rice)
10 ounces fresh ahi block
furikake for coating ahi block
½ cup frozen shelled edamame (boil for 4 minutes, drain and cool)
½ small carrot, sliced thin (microwave in water for 45 - 60 seconds to soften slightly)
½ small avocado cut into small cubes
pickled ginger
slivered nori (optional)
bubu arare (optional)
thinly sliced red hot pepper such as jalapeño or Fresno (optional)
Preparation
For the dressing:
Combine lime zest, lime juice, water and sugar in a small saucepan. Cook over medium-high heat until sugar has dissolved. This will take just a minute or so. Transfer liquid to a small glass bowl, cover and let cool completely. Strain cooled liquid through a fine-mesh sieve into a small bowl. Whisk in soy sauce, vinegar, and ginger.
For the fish:
Lightly coat all sides of the ahi block with a canola oil. Place the fish on a cutting board or piece of foil and sprinkle furikake on all sides, patting it gently so it adheres to the fish.
Heat a small pan over medium-high heat with a teaspoon of canola oil. When the pan is hot, sear the ahi for 30 - 60 seconds or so on each side. The thickness of your ahi block and how you prefer your ahi cooked will determine how long to fry it. Remove the fish to a plate or cutting board to cool. Slice fish into ⅓" thick slices.
Divide the cooked rice into two bowls. Top with seared ahi, edamame, carrots, avocado, and ginger. Drizzle dressing over the ahi and other ingredients. Sprinkle the nori and bubu arare over the toppings if using and garnish with red pepper slices. Serve the rice bowl with extra dressing on the side.
Over the years, we have enjoyed many different versions of tuna tartare. The best have been at favorite restaurants (those from Plouf in San Francisco and BLT in Honolulu come to mind). However, with this recipe, we are making a version at home which rivals or even surpasses our previous favorites. It’s hard not to love this tuna tartare. There’s something about the rich and creamy avocado, silky fish, and delightful ponzu-like dressing. It all goes together so very well. And, it’s really the perfect summer meal for a warm day when cooking over the stove or turning on the oven just seems out of the question. This dish relies on using the best quality sashimi grade tuna. Fresh, well chilled, and cut just this morning type-of-tuna from a reliable source is what you are looking for. I can’t wait to make it again.
Though I usually pay a dear price for the tuna at Whole Foods, I find the quality to be superb. I always ask the staff at the counter whether the fish was cut that morning. If it has been sitting around for more than a day, I skip it, and try again the following week. I find it most satisfying when the fish is very well chilled before serving. Keep the fish in the refrigerator until you are ready to plate and serve the tartare.
I didn’t eat radishes when I was a child, except for the long and slender daikon variety that is commonly used to make Japanese pickled takuan. These days I enjoy these pretty red radishes in salads as well as in this ahi tartare preparation. The secret is to slice them ever so thinly and soak them in an ice water bath for a half hour to really crisp them up.
Serve the tartare with taro chips as an appetizer or as an entrée with rice and a side of crispy vegetable tempura.
10 ounces sashimi grade tuna, very finely diced and well chilled
4 teaspoons olive oil, divided
1 teaspoon minced seeded serrano chile
1 teaspoon minced shallot
kosher salt
1 large avocado, halved, pitted and finely diced
2 radishes very thinly sliced, chilled in an ice water bath for 30 minutes
chili oil
Preparation
Combine lime zest, lime juice, sugar, and 2 tablespoons water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil (this will happen in no time at all). Transfer liquid to a small glass bowl, cover and let cool completely. Strain cooled liquid through a fine-mesh sieve into a small bowl. Whisk in soy sauce, vinegar, and ginger. The dressing can be made 2 days in advance. Cover and chill.
Toss tuna with 2 teaspoons olive oil in a medium bowl. Add chile and shallot, season lightly with salt.
Mix diced avocado with remaining 2 teaspoons olive oil in a medium bowl. Season with salt.
To assemble the tuna tartare, you may use a round mold or gently shape the avocado with your hands as I do, onto a serving platter. Arrange tuna over the avocado keeping a circular shape. Spoon some of dressing over the tuna and around the avocado. Top with radish slices and more dressing. Drizzle with chili oil. Serve right away.
There is “tartar sauce” and then there is green tartar sauce. It is much more lively in both color and flavor and goes especially well with a number of salmon dishes and grilled ahi burgers. Full of fresh herbs, tangy cornichons and capers, it is a world apart from your ordinary tartar sauce. I cannot remember where I found this recipe after an internet search. In any case, it’s been a staple in our home for years. After quickly chopping up the herbs, cornichons and shallot, everything goes into the food processor for a quick whirl.
Green Tartar Sauce
Makes about 3/4 cup
Ingredients
1/4 cup chopped cornichons
2 1/2 tablespoons rinsed and chopped capers
1 small shallot, chopped
1/2 cup mayonnaise (I use low fat)
1 teaspoon Dijon
1 1/2 tablespoons chopped dill
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
2 tablespoons chopped chives
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup olive oil
Preparation
Coarsely chop the cornichons, capers and shallot. Place in a food processor (I use the small bowl of my KitchenAid) and pulse a few times just to combine. Add mayonnaise, mustard, herbs, lemon juice, and pepper and process for about 6 seconds to blend well. Scrape down the sides of the work bowl and pulse a few more times. Open the pour spout and with the motor running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil. Transfer the tartar sauce to an air-tight container and refrigerate until ready to use.
***The recipe suggests making the tartar sauce 24 hours in advance to allow the flavors to develop. I usually forget to do this and make it the same day I plan to use it and it still tastes great.
Tuna (ahi) tartare and poke in all its variations, are all the rage. There are also various versions of tuna burgers which incorporate many of the same ingredients as these popular dishes. This recipe, however, pays homage to the traditional steak tartare. It incorporates many of the classic ingredients that are found in steak tartare such as Dijon mustard, capers, shallots and chives. We love to grill these tasty tuna burgers and serve them on homemade brioche buns with Ina Garten’s tartar sauce.
Only very fresh fish makes its way into our kitchen. I always ask if the fish was cut the same morning, if not, I look elsewhere. Fish can be kept for a few days in the refrigerator and be just fine, but I favor fish that doesn’t sit around for very long. One of the most unpleasant things I can think of is opening up a package of smelly fish. So try to find the freshest ahi (tuna) that you can, even if it means taking a trip to another store.
All of the ingredients are mixed up together in a large bowl, then formed into patties. You can do this a few hours in advance which will help to firm up the patties before you grill them. Place the patties on individual pieces of parchment paper, cover loosely and store them in the refrigerator.
We ate two of the fish burgers for dinner, and the other two for lunch the following day. Wrapped in foil and placed in the toaster oven to warm up a bit, they were just as good as they were on the first day.
¼ cup capers, rinsed, drained, and coarsely chopped
¼ cup finely chopped parsley
1½ tablespoons finely chopped chives
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon Worcestershire
½ teaspoon hot sauce, such as Frank's
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
toasted buns, sliced onion and tomato, crisp lettuce, tartar sauce or mayonnaise for serving
Preparation
Finely chop the tuna. Place tuna in a large bowl. Add shallot, capers, parsley, chives, olive oil, mustard, vinegar, Worcestershire, hot sauce. salt and pepper. Mix gently until combined.
Divide tuna mixture into four even servings (about 6 ounces each) and form into patties.
Grill tuna burgers over medium high heat for about 4 minutes on the first side so the patties set. Flip and cook 3 -4 minutes on the second side or until they are cooked to your desired doneness.
Tacos are one of my favorite foods regardless of the filling. Corn tortillas fried briefly until crisp or warmed on a comal are simply delicious. I’ve yet to meet anyone who doesn’t love Mexican cuisine.
We have lovely Mahi Mahi available at our local markets and it makes the best crispy fish tacos. You may substitute any other mild, white fish in this recipe. I purchased about 3/4 lb. Mahi Mahi and sliced it into 10 pieces. You could slice your fish into 8 pieces if you prefer. This is my special version of a baja fish taco.
What makes it uniquely good is the incorporation of some basic Japanese ingredients and technique. Dip the filets in a tempura batter mix, and dredge each piece in panko and you’re ready to go.
In just a few minutes you will have yourself a platter of crispy, fish filets. Sometimes I’m tempted to dip them in tartar sauce, but tacos are just too yummy to pass up.
The Best Ever Crispy Fish Tacos with Avocado Crema
Serves 4 – 5
Avocado Crema
1/2 large avocado
2 tablespoons sour cream (I use Green Valley Lactose Free Sour Cream)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
few sprigs of cilantro
An immersion blender works perfectly for this. Place all ingredients in a blending cup and blend for a few seconds until the ingredients are well combined. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
Fish Tacos
Ingredients
3/4 pound fresh fish filet, sliced into 8 – 10 pieces
salt & pepper
4 tablespoons tempura batter mixed with just enough ice-cold water to create the consistency of thin pancake batter
canola oil for deep-frying and warming corn tortillas
8 – 10 corn tortillas
Preparation
Heat canola oil for deep-frying. Most suggest heating the oil to 360 degrees. I usually skip the temperature reading step and test the oil by drizzling a tiny amount of batter into the oil. If the batter crisps up nicely, I start frying! I use a small sauce pan, 7 – 8 inches wide and 3 1/2 inches in height, and add canola oil 2 inches up the side of the pan. A small Dutch Oven would work perfectly as well.
Place tempura batter in a wide bowl, add ice water and stir just until ingredients are combined. Remember to keep the batter light, and don’t over mix.
Place panko in a wide plate or shallow bowl. Season fish strips with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Dip fish pieces into tempura batter, letting excess batter drip off. Place fish into panko bowl and coat well.
Once oil is hot, fry half of the fish until nicely browned and crisp, about 1 minute. Keep in mind that you don’t want to over crowd the pan when frying. This will drop the oil temperature drastically and your fish fillets won’t brown quickly.
Drain on paper towel lined plate. Continue to fry the remaining filets. Warm tortillas in lightly oiled cast iron skillet or sauté pan on medium high heat. Cover with foil and keep warm.
I like to serve the fish with avocado crema, finely shredded cabbage, cilantro, hot sauce and pickled jalapeños. Delicious!
A two week vacation in San Francisco filled with multiple meals of delightful food can easily result in a few unwanted pounds. But there’s hope. San Francisco is a walker’s city. Whether it’s to your favorite restaurant or shop, up a steep San Francisco hill, walking definitely helps to alleviate that problem. It’s as if the city were designed for gourmands!
So begins our first week of dining out in San Francisco and Napa Valley.
Sanraku – Metreon & Sutter Street (Lunch)
Sanraku has two locations in downtown San Francisco, one at the newly renovated Metreon and the other on Sutter Street. We’ve dined here many times, mostly at the Metreon location because it is located right across the street from our hotel. Sanraku offers many selections, the prices are fair and the service is prompt.
The sushi is fresh and tasty. This California roll was part of a combination lunch. All main course lunches include miso soup, rice and a salad.
Sanraku SaladMaguro Sashimi
Sesame Chicken at Sanraku Sutter Street
Sesame Chicken at Metreon Location
I always order the sesame chicken plate but I have to say it wasn’t very good this past visit at the Metreon location. The sauce tasted burnt and that ruined the dish.
I’m not sure if I will go back to Sanraku because there are so many other restaurants to try out. And if I do go back, I will walk the longer distance to their Sutter street location where the food seems better prepared.
Seven Hills (Dinner)
Seven Hills is located in the Russian Hill neighborhood and is a charming restaurant with warm service. We waited 15 minutes for our table (with a reservation) and Alex who works the front of the house was extremely accommodating in getting our table ready as quickly as possible.
The restaurant was dark so my photos are not the best, but hopefully they portray the delicious food we were served that evening such as the turkey meatballs and grilled bread appetizer above.
Bean and arugula salad with fried parmesan.This Raviolo Uovo is described on their menu as: Full Belly Farm egg yolk, house made ricotta cheese, spinach, brown butter and white truffle oil. It was a rich and delicious appetizer.
Tortelli with Euvitis Wild Mushrooms – Brown butter, thyme and grated Pecorino cheese.
We enjoyed our dinner at Seven Hills. The food was very good with reasonable prices and the service was excellent. Reservations are highly recommended as seating is extremely limited and the bar only seats about 4 people.
Cotogna – Jackson Square (Lunch)
Cotogna serves rustic Italian cuisine and is the sister restaurant to Michael Tusk’s Quince restaurant located next door. It’s extremely popular and advance reservations are required if you want a table, otherwise they offer bar and a communal table seating for walk ins.
Zuckerman’s Farm fresh asparagus salad with walnuts and shaved Parmigiano Reggiano cheese.
Asparagus salad with sunflower seeds and aioli.
Halibut with Meyer lemon and pistachios.
Green pea ravioli.
Sausage, Ramps and Pecorino pizza.
Lunch at Cotogna was superb. Everything we ordered was prepared perfectly. It’s a bit of a splurge for lunch but we felt it was worth it and would definitely go back.
A few days at the Napa Valley Marriott was just what we needed. Relaxing by the pool then taking a leisurely drive to St. Helena and stopping in at Dean & DeLuca and the Culinary Institute of America at Greystone made for a perfect afternoon.
Dean & DeLuca, St. Helena
The Culinary Institute of America at Greystone
Redd Wood – Yountville (Lunch)
We had lunch at Redd Wood in the summer of 2012 and we were hooked. Richard Reddington also owns Redd Restaurant in Yountville. Redd Wood is more casual and offers fantastic pizzas, salads, pasta and terrific daily specials. So we returned this May for two more really fine meals.
Redd Wood has a snazzy bar!
Marinated Warm OlivesThis simple chopped salad was very satisfying with its tangy dressing and al dente ceci beans. Only after I had finished it did I realize the olives mentioned in the description were no where to be found.
I asked about their tasty pizza sauce and was told by the chef that they use San Marzano tomatoes, process them in a food mill and reduce the sauce and season it with just salt and pepper. Once I returned home I followed their directions and now I’m sold on this simple and fresh tasting sauce.
John can’t pass up a burger, which was one of the specials of the day. Just looking at that brioche bun reminds me of how delicious it was. The meat was seasoned and cooked to perfection. The frites were equally as good.
Redd Wood – Yountville (Dinner)
Lunch was so good we returned to Redd Wood for dinner on the same weekend. A few appetizers, pizzas and the best roasted chicken I have ever had, confirmed our judgement that Redd Wood is one of the top restaurants in Napa Valley.
Fritto Misto was a good way to start the evening. In addition to calamari, there was zucchini, artichoke and spiced ceci beans served with homemade aioli.
A particularly delicious appetizer was meatballs and grilled bread.
This sausage and mushroom pizza with peppers and fried egg was memorable.
Another tasty pizza with potatoes and smoked bacon.
I love roasted chicken and if I see it on a menu I am always tempted to order it. I’ve had outstanding roasted chicken and some forgettable roasted chicken. Redd Wood’s roasted chicken was the best I ever had, bar none. The crispy, well seasoned skin was hard to pass up and the meat on both the breast and thigh were so moist and flavorful. Served with farro and vegetables and a poached egg (!) it was a meal I shall never forget.
Redd Wood is one of our favorite restaurants. Whether you are there for lunch or dinner (they also serve breakfast) you will be very happy indeed.
Redd ~ Yountville (Lunch)
Redd is Richard Reddington’s original Yountville restaurant serving lunch, dinner and Sunday Brunch. Four of us decided to try lunch on this visit to Napa Valley.
A beautiful salad of spinach and endive with crispy and colorful beet chips served with a smoked trout crostini.
Yellow fin tuna and hamachi tartare with avocado and “fried rice.” One word describes this appetizer “divine!”Hamachi sashimi with edamame with a refreshing lime ginger sauce.
Pan seared scallops served with cauliflower puree. Magnificent!
Prime New York steak sandwich.
It’s not often that you’ll find duck confit on a menu. And when you do find it, what a treat it is. Redd’s duck confit with lentils and poached egg was the highlight of my entire trip.
These pork buns were unbelievably delicious. Note to self: double order next visit.
We all raved about our meal at Redd. The restaurant was immaculate as was the service, and the food was out of this world.
Gott’s Roadside ~ Napa (Lunch)
We were in the mood for a casual, order at the counter meal and what fit the bill better than a hamburger and fries?
My burger with pickles, tomato and “secret” sauce.
The fries were hot, crispy and salty.
We were the beneficiaries of an order taker mistake and received sweet potato fries in addition to the regular fries we ordered. They were tasty but we preferred the regular fries.
Cheese burger.
We were satisfied with our quick, unfussy lunch at Gott’s. Looking forward to another visit for a juicy, grilled burger with all the right accompaniments.
Botega ~ Yountville (Dinner)
Michael Chiarello’s Bottega is very popular, reservations are a must. We dined here twice before on other visits and thoroughly enjoyed our dinner so we returned again this summer.
Reception and bar at Bottega.
The restaurant is fairly large with seating at the bar, outside on the patio and inside where there are two separate dining rooms. We were seated at a cozy table in the dining room that is surrounded by glass windows.
Green eggs and ham! This appetizer is a unique, beautiful combination. A soft boiled egg, deep fried with a crispy coating served with pancetta wrapped asparagus.
Shaved Brussels sprout salad with sieved egg and marcona almonds. Who knew Brussels sprouts could be so delectable.
Iberian pork with roasted potatoes. Our server told us this pork was similar to beef and so it was. Unfortunately it came to our table luke warm if that. Maybe it was due to the pork being sliced in advance and it didn’t make it to our table quick enough. In any case, we sent it back and they returned promptly with a new order at the correct temperature and it was a real treat!
Braised and smoked short rib. You can always find this popular dish on their menu.
Delfina Potaotes. Yum!! Overall, the food is excellent at Bottega. We enjoyed three dinners there over the last couple of years and we would not hesitate to return (especially if the smoked and braised short rib remains on the menu!).
