Ponzu is a citrus based sauce commonly used in Japanese cooking. It is a perfect compliment to seared fresh Ahi Tuna. I used this combination to make Ponzu Ahi Tuna Martini’s! I really liked the recipe that I found for ponzu sauce in The Lemonade Cookbook. What made it unique and bursting with flavor was that they blended whole oranges in the sauce including the skin, pith, fruit and all! That is not commonly done as you usually use only the fruit. This resulted in a lightly chunky sauce that was bright and bold making it perfectly suitable for the richness of the tuna.
To make this dish, you will need to purchase sushi grade tuna. You want the highest quality fish since you are going to serve it seared rare, which is the best way to enjoy ahi tuna. A quick visit to a hot pan is enough to coat the edges with a light sear and keep the interior nice and succulent. Slicing it on the diagonal gives you nice slices that highlight the beauty of the fish. To the ponzu fish mixture I added sliced purple radishes, fresh snap peas, black and white sesame seeds and a mint garnish. Served in a small martini glass, it was a beautiful composition displaying a mixture of color.
A nice thing about a fish starter is that it can be created and assembled quite quickly. You can have your sauce prepared ahead and even get the fish seared and sliced – all ready for assembly before your guests arrive. Note: Once you plate the fish with the vegetables and top it with the sauce, you will want to serve it within an hour so the citrus doesn’t start to “cook” the fish further.
Ponzu Ahi Tuna Martini’s
Serves 6
- 1/4 seedless orange, coarsely chopped (skin, pith, fruit & all)
- 1/2 cup rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon ground ginger
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1/2 cup sunflower oil
- 1 Roma tomato, halved, seeded & diced small
- 1 small shallot, minced
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
- 1 tablespoon freshly ground pepper
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Kosher salt
- 1 1/4 lb fresh ahi tuna, sushi grade (3/4 – 1″ thick)
- sunflower oil
- 1/2 lb sugar snap peas, strings removed and cut into thirds on the diagonal horizontally
- 6 radishes sliced thin
- 1 teaspoon black sesame seeds
- 1 teaspoon toasted white sesame seeds
- mint leaves for garnish
- Ponzu: In a blender combine the orange, vinegar, soy, honey, ginger and sesame & sunflower oils. Blend on high speed until the orange is broken down but still a little bit chunky, about 1 minute. Pour the ponzu in a bowl and add chopped tomato, shallot, chives and sesame seeds, stirring to combine. Set aside.
- Tuna: In a small bowl, combine the salt and pepper. Pat the tuna dry with paper towels and sprinkle the top and bottom with the salt/pepper mixture – you should see the seasoning on the fish. Place a skillet over medium-high heat and coat the pan with a light coating of the oil. When it is hot, lay the tuna in the pan and sear for about 2 minutes on each side. The red meat will become whiter and form a crust.Take care to move the fish as little as possible to minimize sticking and to avoid tearing the flesh. The idea is to cook it quickly to sear the outside while keeping the middle rare so be careful not to overcook or it will become dry. Remove the fish to a cutting board and cut on the diagonal into 1/4″ slices.
- Assembly: In a mixing bowl, combine the seared tuna slices, snap peas, radishes and sesame seeds. Distribute the mixture evenly into small martini glasses or other small serving dishes. Drizzle with the ponzu sauce and refrigerate until ready to serve for about 30 minutes or up to an hour. Garnish with fresh mint.
- Ponzu sauce and seared tuna can be made up to 2 hours ahead. Assemble and refrigerate about 30 minutes or up to an hour before serving.
(click here) for printable recipe