Having calorie-light food doesn’t mean you have to be unhappy; that’s why we’ve chosen this mouth-watering fresh tuna tartare featured in the Slanted Door cookbook by owner and chef Charles Phan. One of the leading lights of San Francisco’s culinary scene, The Slanted Door is a must-go restaurant. (When she led a food tour of WNPR listeners to the Pacific Northwest, Faith insisted on a group stop at The Slanted Door; it was remarkable).
What’s interesting about this tuna tartare recipe is that it’s not a ceviche, which uses citrus juice to “cook” the fish chunks; instead chef Phan recommends this version, more like a Hawaiian “poke” that calls for soy sauce rather than citrus. It’s heavenly. You feel like lifting weights when you’re done.
Ingredients
- 2 sesame rice crackers or shrimp chips
- canola oil for frying (if using sesame crackers)
- 12 ounces tuna sushi-grade, finely diced
- 1/2 English cucumber finely diced
- 1/2 shallot finely diced
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons Sriracha sauce
- 1 teaspoon olive oil extra-virgin
- kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons cilantro leaves chopped
Servings:
Instructions
- If using sesame crackers, add about an inch of oil to a large, shallow saute pan and set over high heat until it registers 350 F on a candy thermometer. Use tongs to place one sesame cracker sheet in the oil and fry for about 30 seconds; the cracker will puff up. Remove from the oil, place on a plate lined with a paper towel, and let cool. Repeat with the second sheet. Once the sheets are cool, break them into large pieces. Set aside.
- To make the tartare, combine the tuna, cucumber, and shallot in a medium bowl and set aside. In a small bowl, combine the sesame oil, soy sauce, Sriracha sauce, and olive oil and stir to combine. Season to taste with salt.
- Pour the marinade over the tuna and mix gently. Garnish with the cilantro and serve with the fried sesame rice crackers or shrimp chips.
