New Sashimi

I once served this dish to my good friend Mayumi and she said, “Delicious! Not sashimi.” Since then, David, I’ve taken a cue from Chef Matsuhisa and toss the word “new” into the air just before I swat it with the word “sashimi”. This enables you to serve your sashimi anyway you damn well like. It’s not traditional, but, if it’s good enough for Nobu, it’s good enough for Mayumi.

The only ingredient you’ll really need for this dish is top quality fish that has been pulled from the water the day your going to serve the sashimi. For this, you’ll need to go to the source.

The fishermen who run PE and DD Seafood in Riverhead, NY left the harbor at 10 pm Friday night. They steered back in to the harbor with a boat full of tuna, flounder and bluefish around 4 am on Saturday morning. We were clinking glasses of chilled sake and lunching by Noon.

I served the tuna with a summer salad, but you can just dip one end of the fish in a little soy sauce and you’re still a star.

New Tuna Sashimi with Minted Summer Salad
For 2
—
1/2 pound fresh tuna
1 cup blondkopchen or other heirloom cherry tomato variety
1 Japanese climbing cucumber, seeded and cut into small cubes
1 costata romanesco zucchini, cut into small cubes
1 full-strength jalapeño or 2 serrano peppers, diced
2 scallions sliced thin
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped fine
1/4 cup wild mint, chopped fine
1 teaspoon of olive oil
squeeze of lime
sea salt

Cut the cherry tomatoes into 1/8ths, because she matters, David. Resistance is futile. Place them in a bowl and let them rest while you cut the cucumber and zucchini into small cubes.

Drain the tomatoes and add all other ingredients. Toss gently and allow to rest in the fridge for 15 minutes. Check for salt.

Trim the tuna into a block. Slice it at an angle 1/8th of an inch on the bias.

Mound the summer salad just off center. Arrange 3 or 4 slices of fish to the side of the salad. Dot the plate with a good quality shoyu and garnish with chives. Serve with Ohyama Saké or a chelada.