Tuna tartare with pickled cucumber on endive

I wanted to create a tartare dish that was finger food. After looking through my books I finally decided to adapt this recipe from Cindy Pawlcyn.

It is critical to get the absolute best sushi-grade tuna for this recipe. Yes, it costs a small fortune, but you need just a little bit.

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Ingredients:

Tuna and toppings:

6-8 oz sushi grade tuna, sliced fine or minced

Wasabi paste or wasabi powder mixed with some water or sake

Dill fronds

Roasted seaweed, cut into squares with a scissor

Endive (green or red) leaves, pulled apart

1 avocado, cut into slices (optional)

Toasted sesame seeds (optional)

Cucumbers:

1 English cucumber, sliced into thin ribbons, preferably using a mandolin

1 teaspoon salt

1 jalapeno chilli, sliced

2-3 tablespoons rice vinegar

2 tablespoons olive oil

Mix together and marinate for 1 hour or overnight

San bai su sauce:

1 tablespoon tamari sauce

2 tablespoon rice vinegar

1 tablespoon mirin

Mix together. This sauce can either be mixed in with the tuna or drizzled on top of the dish when assembled.

Assembly:

Lay the endive leaves down. Add a drop or two drops of the wasabi sauce, or brush on lightly for a more even spread. Top with a long slice of the pickled cucumber. Add about 1 generous teaspoon of tuna on top of the cucumber. Add 1 small dill frond to the top of the leaf. Top with a drizzle of the sauce if you have not mixed it into the tuna already. Top with seaweed, avocado and/or toasted sesame seeds, as desired.

Serve immediately.