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  • Watermelon and Ahi Tuna Poke

    Ingredients

    Pickled Mustard Seeds

    4-6 portions

    • Ingredients
      Amount
    • Yellow mustard seeds
      1/4 cup
    • Rice wine vinegar
      1/2 cup
    • Water
      1/2 cup
    • Mirin
      1/4 cup
    • Sugar
      2 Tbsp.

    Sriracha Aioli

    • Ingredients
      Amount
    • Sriracha
      1 Tbsp.
    • Mayonnaise
      ½ cup
    • Lemon juice
      1 Tbsp.

    Fried Shallots

    • Ingredients
      Amount
    • Shallots, thinly sliced
      1 cup
    • Vegetable oil
      2 cups

    Poke

    • Ingredients
      Amount
    • Yellow watermelon, cut into 4 x 4-inch square, about 1-inch thick
      4 pieces
    • Ahi tuna, cut ½-inch dice
      1 lb.
    • Nori seaweed, julienne
      2 sheets
    • Soy sauce
      1/3 cup
    • Sesame oil
      1 tsp.
    • Green onions, thinly sliced on bias
      2 ea.
    • Garlic clove, thinly sliced on mandolin
      1 ea.
    • Ginger, minced
      1 tsp.
    • Macadamia nuts, toasted, chopped
      ½ cup
    • Black sesame seeds
      1 Tsp.
    • Mini watermelon
      1 ea.

    Method

    For the pickled mustard seeds

    1. Combine all ingredients together and bring to a boil. Turn down to a simmer on low for 35-45 minutes until thickened. Cool.

    For the shallots

    1. Heat a small sauce pot with the oil and shallots to 325 degrees, stirring constantly to ensure even browning. Drain the shallots on paper towels when lightly browned. They will continue to cook and dry out as they drain.
    2. Compress watermelon in a vacuum sealer at 99%. Do this twice. Cut watermelon into ½-inch diced cubes.

    For the Poke

    1. Combine the cubed compressed watermelon with all of the poke ingredients.

    To create watermelon “bowl” and garnish

    1. Peel a mini watermelon taking care to remove skin in long strips. Select the three best strips, and trim them so that they run the length of the serving plate. Set aside.
    2. To create the watermelon serving bowl, scrub the peeled watermelon with a coarse sponge until a smooth, even surface is achieved. Cut the watermelon in half, then quarters. Remove the flesh and set aside. Scrape out any remaining watermelon to create four smooth clean serving bowls.
    3. Slice the mini watermelon flesh and set aside.

    To plate the poke

    1. Set the strips of watermelon skin on the serving plate, striped side up. Place one of the hollowed out watermelon bowls on top of the watermelon strips, and fill with poke mixture. Garnish the poke with sriracha aioli and fried shallots. Dot the plate with sriracha aioli. Place additional cubes of compressed yellow watermelon around the plate and top each cube with pickled mustard seeds. Plate with the remaining slices of mini watermelon.