The Jungle Room hopes to bring a culinary adventure to the table with each meal. Chef Alessandro Vianello walks us through a pair of seafood delights for the holiday season.
Tuna Tartare:
Ginger Dressing:
- 1 tbsp fresh lime juice
- 1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
- 1 tsp sambal oelek
- 1 tbsp gluten-free soy sauce
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tbsp grated fresh ginger
- 2 tbsp olive oil
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Combine all dressing ingredients in a small bowl.
Assembly:
- 160g ahi tuna steak, diced into 1cm cubes (tuna poke cubes from grocery stores work too)
- Maldon salt or kosher salt
- 20g salmon roe
- Finely chopped chives
- Taro chips or sea salted kettle chips
- Dice the tuna and place it in a mixing bowl.
- Season with a pinch of Maldon sea salt.
- Add enough ginger dressing to coat the tuna well.
- Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
- Place the tuna in a ring mold or cookie cutter in a bowl.
- Garnish the top with salmon roe and chives.
- Remove the ring mold and add more dressing to garnish the plate.
- Serve with chips.
Wine Pairing:
Tantalus Riesling: This slightly off-dry riesling from Tantalus in Kelowna pairs beautifully with the dressing’s slight spice and high acidity. Its tropical fruit notes and bright acidity make it a great choice for your spicy seafood dishes this holiday season.
Oysters with Yuzu Sake Mignonette and Sambal Matah:
Yuzu Sake Mignonette:
- 1 tbsp yuzu juice
- 1 tbsp sake
- 2 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 small finely chopped shallot
- 10 twists of a pepper grinder
Combine all mignonette ingredients in a bowl or measuring cup.
Assembly:
- 12 freshly shucked oysters
- Yuzu sake mignonette from above
- Lemon wedges
- Tabasco sauce
- Fresh horseradish
Oyster Shucking Method:
- Wash oysters well under cold running water.
- Place each oyster in a folded cloth.
- Using an oyster knife, wiggle the tip at the hinge to find connective tissue.
- Twist the knife when resistance is felt to pop the shell.
- Slide the knife to cut the muscle, keeping the oyster in the shell.
- Remove shell fragments and dirt from the oyster lip.
- Cut the bottom muscle to release the oyster fully.
Wine Pairing:
Segura Viudas Cava or Your Favorite Champagne: A classic pairing with oysters, this dry cava has notes of honey and citrus, slight toasty/nuttiness, and bright acidity. It complements the briny and salty flavors of the oysters.
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