Seared Ahi Tuna with Sake-Black Bean Jus

From: Chef Steven Greene, Devereaux's Restaurant, Greenville, SC. Yield: 24 servings.

Pickled Honshimeji Mushrooms:

4 Tbsp. unsalted butter

2 lb. honshimeji (oyster) mushrooms

6 Tbsp. brown sugar

½ cup Kikkoman Soy Sauce

¼ cup rice vinegar

Sake-Black Bean Jus:

1½ lb. unsalted butter, diced

3 shallots, sliced

6 garlic cloves, sliced

1 tsp. chopped ginger

1½ cups sake

6 Tbsp. Kikkoman Black Bean Sauce with Garlic

24 (5-oz.) portions ahi tuna

to taste, salt and pepper

1½ cups peanut oil

8 cups braised napa cabbage (instructions follow)

For pickled honshimeji mushrooms: In large sauce pan, melt butter. As it starts to brown, add mushrooms; saute about 2 minutes. Add sugar. When sugar is melted, add soy sauce and vinegar. Cook until liquid reduced to syrup. Yield: 3 cups.

For sake-black bean jus: In saucepan, melt 3 Tbsp. butter; add shallots, garlic and ginger. Cook until soft. Add sake; simmer until reduced to 6 Tbsp. Over low heat, whisk in remaining butter, 1 Tbsp. at a time. When all butter is incorporated, whisk in balck bean sauce. Yields 3 cups.

For each serving, to order: Season 1 piece tuna with salt and pepper. In saute pan, heat 1 Tbsp. oil over high heat; sear tuna about 1 minute on all sides. Mound ⅓ cup cabbage in center of plate. Slice tuna and arrange on top of cabbage. Top with 2 Tbsp. pickled honshimeji mushrooms. Spoon 2 Tbsp. sake-black bean jus around plate.

For braised napa cabbage: In large rondo or braising pan, melt ½ lb. unsalted butter. Add 12 sliced shallots and 12 sliced garlic cloves; cook until shallots are transulcent. Add 2 heads thinly sliced napa cabbage and 2 qt. chicken stock or mussel broth. Simmer until cabbage is tender; if any liquid remains, strain it off and reduce separately; return liquid to cabbage. Season with salt; add ½ cup minced chives. Yields 8 cups.