For the White Ponzu
Ingredients
- 100g bonito flakes
- 30g dried kombu
- 6 dried shiitake mushrooms
- 680g mirin
- 230g rice vinegar
- 600g ponzu daidai
- 230g sake
- 2.1kg white soya
Method
- Place the mirin and sake into a saucepan and let it boil. Once it has reached a rolling boil, use a blowtorch to flame up and burn off the alcohol.
- Bring the white soy, ponzu daidai and rice vinegar to a boil in a separate saucepan.
- Pour both components into a large mixing bowl, and add the dried mushrooms, kombu, and bonito flakes. Leave to cool for 48 hours, then pass through a sieve.
For the Mandarin Ponzu
Ingredients
- 2L white ponzu (recipe above)
- 600g pickling liquor from white ginger
- 10 mandarins cut in half (juice and skins)
Method
- Add all the ingredients to a bowl and let them marinate for 24 hours before using.
For the Tomato Ponzu Chilli Condiment
Ingredients
- 40g egg yolk
- 15g rice vinegar
- 15g mustard
- 15g red yuzo kosho
- 70g tomato ponzu
- 260g neutral oil
Method
- Place all the ingredients, except the oil, in the container of a hand-held blender and blitz together. Slowly incorporate the oil, whilst continuously blitzing. Emulsifying, like you would a mayonnaise.
For the of Balfegó Bluefin Tuna
Ingredients
- 1 loin of Balfego Bluefin tuna
- daikon
- zest of 1 Kafir lime
- olive oil
- Maldon salt
- black radish
Method
- Dice the tuna loin into 0.8cm cubes.
- Mix it in with a brunoise of daikon that’s been marinated in yuzu juice, rice vinegar and salt.
- Season to taste with Kafir lime zest, Maldon salt and olive oil.
Thinly slice the black radish with a mandolin and season with salt. This will make it more malleable. Place the slices one on top of the other, overlapping, and roll tightly together to make the shape of a rose.
For the Pie Tee
Ingredients
- 150g plain white flour
- 75g corn flour
- 165g rice flour
- 3 eggs
- 600g water
Method
- Place all the ingredients in a bowl. Whisk together and let it rest in the fridge for 24 hours.
- Fry at 180°C in an appropriate mould/casing until crisp.
To Serve
Method
- Place the tuna tartare on the base of a bowl, topping it with dollops of the tomato ponzu chilli condiment. Lay the radish rose on top and garnish with edible flowers.
- Pour the mandarin ponzu sauce all around the tuna tartare, and then cut it with parsley oil.
- Fill the pie tee with a tartare of Chu-toro bluefin tuna diced at 0.8cm, seasoned with olive oil and Maldon salt and topped with a spoonful of Imperial Oscientra caviar. Serve this on the side to be eaten as one bite.
Recipe courtesy of Emily Roux and Diego Ferrari of Michelin-starred Caractère in London.
Caractère
209 Westbourne Park Rd
London W11 1EA
United Kingdom
Web: caractererestaurant.com
Tel: 020 8181 3850
Instagram: @caractere.restaurant
Images © Rebecca Dickson