Montmorency Tart Cherry Crudo: Ahi Tuna and Smoked Salmon with Cherry-Balsamic Spheres and Tart Cherry Salsa
by home cook & food blogger Rebecka Evans.
INGREDIENTS
- ½ pound Sashimi grade Ahi Tuna (sliced very thinly)
- ¼ pound Smoked Salmon
- 1/2 cup Canned Tart Cherries* (drained & rough chopped) – *fresh tart cherries are preferable when in season
- 1/4 cup Dried Tart Cherries (chopped)
- 5 ounces Tart Cherry Juice
- 2 tbsp. Balsamic Vinegar
- 4 ea. Shishito Peppers (sliced very thinly & divided ½ red onion ½ scant teaspoon)
- Agar Agar powder 1-2 cups oil (for making spheres)
- 2 tbsp. Brown Sugar
- 1 tsp. Granulated Sugar
- ¼ cup Meyer lemon infused olive oil
- 4 ea. Radishes, sliced thinly
- ½ cup Micro Greens Edible Flowers
- tt. Salt & Pepper
DIRECTIONS
For The Cold Oil Tart Cherry Balsamic Spheres:
- Pour vegetable oil into a large jar or glass with lid. Cover and freeze for at least 1 hour. In a small sauce pan combine, 5 ounces tart cherry juice, 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, half of the sliced shishito peppers, and a pinch of salt and pepper (keep remaining peppers for garnish).
- Cook over medium heat for 3-5 minutes to release and combine flavors. Strain to remove solids and return hot liquid to pan. Add agar-agar powder and whisk to dissolve. 3. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Temperature should be around 120 – 130 o F.
- Working quickly, fill a syringe with the hot liquid. Hold the syringe high enough to allow droplets to travel in the air before they hit the surface of the oil, but not so high as to make them explode on impact. This will cause the liquid to make uneven spheres.
- Hold continuous pressure, expelling liquid drop by drop into cold oil (practice a few times to get the right height to make uniform spheres).
- Wait a few minutes then strain the spheres through a fine sieve and rinse with cold water. Reserve the cold oil and continue the process until all liquid is gone. Makes about ¼-1/2 cup spheres.
For The Salsa:
- Peel and cut ½ of the red onion into fine-thin strips. Place strips into a small bowl of cold water with 1-teaspoon sugar, set-aside until ready to garnish plate.
- Fine chop the remaining red onion. In a small mixing bowl combine fine chopped red onion (about 3 tablespoons), 1/2 cup drained & chopped tart can cherries (fresh tart cherries are preferable when in season) ¼ cup chopped dried tart cherries and remaining shishito peppers.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir to combine and set-aside until ready to serve.
For The Crudo:
- Remove Ahi from package and dry with a clean paper towel. Slice thinly.
- Remove smoked salmon from package. Slice salmon into even strips and roll into small bundles.
- Top each salmon bundle with thin sliced Ahi.
- Arrange bundles on a long serving plate.
- Garnish plate with tart cherry salsa, micro greens, edible flowers, thin sliced shishito peppers, thin sliced radish, red onions and drizzle with generous amount of Meyer lemon olive oil.
- Top with cherry balsamic spheres and serve.
Learn more about Rebecka Evans at her Chef’s Roll Profile.
