Tony’s Take on Garden of Eden at Patagon

Ingredients

• 2 cups sushi rice (short grain)
• 2 1/4 cups water
• 1/2 cup rice vinegar (seasoned)
• 4 sheets nori seaweed
• 8 oz fresh albacore tuna (sashimi grade)
• 2 tbsp mayonnaise (Kewpie preferred)
• 1 tbsp Sriracha sauce
• 1/2 tsp sesame oil
• 1 Granny Smith apple, julienned
• 1 Persian cucumber, julienned
• 4 oz yellowfin tuna block (for searing)
• 2 tbsp yellow mustard seeds
• 1/4 cup champagne vinegar
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 1 tbsp Yuzu juice (or mix of lime/lemon)
• 1 tsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp grapeseed oil
• Fresh basil leaves, chiffonade
• Sweet Ginger Finishing Salt

Instructions

1. First, the 'caviar'. Place mustard seeds in a small pot with cold water. Bring to a boil, strain, and repeat this process 3 times. This technique removes the bitterness. On the final round, simmer the seeds in champagne vinegar, sugar, and a pinch of salt for 15 minutes until plump. Cool them down.
2. Prepare the sushi rice. Wash the grains until the water runs clear—starch is the enemy of texture here. Cook in a rice cooker. While hot, fold in the seasoned rice vinegar with a paddle, using a cutting motion to separate grains without mashing them. Cover with a damp cloth.
3. For the spicy albacore, mince the fresh albacore with a sharp knife. In a bowl, mix the fish with mayonnaise, Sriracha, and sesame oil. Keep it cold.
4. Sear the yellowfin tuna. Season the block with salt and pepper. Sear in a screaming hot pan for 10 seconds per side. You want a raw center with a cooked crust. Slice thinly against the grain.
5. Whisk the yuzu juice, soy sauce, and grapeseed oil to make the vinaigrette.
6. Assembly time. Lay a half-sheet of nori on your mat. Spread a thin layer of rice over the nori. Flip it over (rice side down).
7. Line the center with the spicy albacore mixture, cucumber strips, and apple strips. Roll it tight. The apple adds a necessary crunch, adhering to my kitchen laws about texture contrast.
8. Drape the seared tuna slices over the top of the roll. Use your bamboo mat to gently press the fish onto the rice so it adheres.
9. Slice into 8 pieces. Top each piece with a small spoon of pickled mustard seeds and fresh basil chiffonade.
10. Drizzle with the yuzu vinaigrette and finish with a pinch of Sweet Ginger Finishing Salt on each piece to highlight the apple notes. DUNZO!