Spicy Tuna Tostados
- Level: Advanced
- Total: 2 hr 35 min
- Active: 1 hr 15 min
- Yield: 10 servings
- Level: Advanced
- Total: 2 hr 35 min
- Active: 1 hr 15 min
- Yield: 10 servings
Ingredients
Red Salsa:
Eel Sauce:
Guacamole:
Salsa Macha:
Spicy Tuna Tostada:
Directions
Special equipment:
a deep-fry thermometer- For the red salsa: In a sauté pan, add some oil and, heat on low. Brown the tomato, onion, garlic and dried chiles until toasted and fragrant. (Do these one at a time to avoid burning. Be particularly careful with the dried chiles; if you burn them, they become bitter.)
- Add the contents of the pan to a blender along with the chipotle puree, sugar, vinegar, salt and MSG. Blend at high speed until smooth, then add the 1/4 cup oil slowly. Allow to cool down before using.
- For the eel sauce: To a small saucepan, add the soy sauce, sugar, mirin and sake. Heat to a simmer, whisking, until everything is fully dissolved. Add the bonito and allow to steep for 10 minutes. Strain out the bonito and allow the sauce to cool. It will thicken and become easy to drizzle.
- For the chicharron furikake: In a food processor, crush the cracklings into a chunky but even mix. Add the bonito, garlic, nori and sesame seeds to a mixing bowl, then fold together by hand. Run the mixture through your fingers to incorporate evenly.
- For the guacamole: Puree together the avocados, garlic, oil, lime juice and salt until the desired consistency has been achieved. We do a fully creamy guac at the shop, but feel free to leave it chunky!
- For the salsa macha: Tear the arbol, ancho and guajillo chiles into small pieces. To a small saucepan, add the oil, chiles ancho chile powder, cumin, granulated garlic, granulated onion and oregano. Slowly heat to 250 degrees F, then turn off, being careful not to burn. (Use a thermometer to ensure correct temperature.) Allow to steep for 30 minutes, then strain, reserving the solids. Allow to cool to room temperature.
- In a food processor, blitz down the solids, using just enough of the strained oil to allow for a smooth blend. In a sauté pan, add 2 tablespoons of the chile oil, then brown the onion and garlic until caramelized. In a mixing bowl, add the blended chile base with the garlic and onion mixture, sesame seeds, salt, sugar and MSG. Fold together and mix evenly. Add the rest of the oil and reserve. The product is shelf-stable but can also be stored in the fridge.
- For the spicy tuna tostada: Mix the tuna with the mayonnaise and 1/4 cup red salsa thoroughly. Layer a tablespoon of guacamole onto each tostada and spread until evenly covered. Add enough tuna to cover each tostada and spread flat for an even surface. Sprinkle on 1 cup chicharron furikake, until the tuna has a light coating over everything. Feel free to add as much as you like. Drizzle 1 cup eel sauce over the tostada, again to taste. Sprinkle a tablespoon of the salsa macha over each tostada, trying to disperse evenly. Garnish with the green onions and serve. Repeat to make more.
Cook’s Note
Spicy Tuna Tostada: Bluefin tuna is the best cut; however, yellowfin works as a great substitute and is much easier to source in local supermarkets. Always look for fresh fish and avoid frozen products to wow your sushi-savant friends. Always mix your salsa macha before using, make sure the oil and solids are evenly distributed. Red Salsa: The ingredients that get pan-fried can also be deep-fried for a nice golden brown. This is how we do it in the shop; however, deep-frying can be bypassed at home. Just be cautious when toasting the peppers; a bright red is all we need. Go crazy on the garlic—the browner, the better. We want deep notes of toasted ingredients for this salsa. Chicharron Furikake: The bonito should be a finely shredded product. The thinnest varieties melt in your mouth. Avoid the thick-cut products; these have a waxy texture and are primarily used for making soup. The cracklings should be store-bought. Try finding a product that has both the skin and fat; this will give you the best crunch and smoky pork flavor. Add a silica dry pack to the furikake to keep fresh and crisp if storing for extended periods of time. Salsa Macha: Do not let the oil mixture heat past 250 degrees F. This will keep the peppers toasted but not burnt. Allow the oil to steep the full 30 minutes. This will let the chiles soften and blend easier.
