Poached Hamachi withPickled Melon and Nori Salt

RH Staff

Yield: 4 servings.

8 11/4-oz. slices of hamachi ( yellowtail tuna)
1 ripe avocado
1 ripe cantaloupe
1 oz. yuzu (Japanese citrus fruit) juice
1 oz. rice wine vinegar
1/2 oz. elderflower syrup
2 oz. Beaume de Venise (dessert wine), boiled and cooled
1 Tbsp. yuzu kosho (pepper)
2 sheets of nori
1 Tbsp. Maldon salt (sea salt) for dusting, sansho pepper for poaching, 1 qt. grapeseed oil

One Day Before: Peel and seed cantaloupe and reserve all juices from the seed sacks. Carve flesh into 11/2" strips, then slice each strip crosswide to make 1/4" thick slices, Make 20 slices and reserve. Boil Beaume de Venise and let cool 20 minutes. Place remaining melon in blender with yuzu juice, elderflower syrup, rice viengar, boiled wine, yuzu kosho and any juice collected from cantaloupe and seed sacks. PurÈe in blender and adjust seasonig to make a sweet and sour balance with a spice aroma. Place in saucepan and bring to simmer; simmer for 1 minute, then strain through a sieve linen with cheesecloth over a bowl. Add a pinch of salt to clarified juice and bring to room temperature. Pour over melon. Leave mixture in tightly covered container in refrigerator until next day.

To Prepare: Place grapeseed oil in shallow saucepan and bring to 110F. Season hamachi filets with light dusting of sancho pepper and place in oil. Pull off direct heat to avoid cooking the bottom side of slices. Peel avocado and cut in half and then into 1/3" slices; dress slices in melon liquid. Lightly toast nori sheets over flame without scalding, then grind in spice grinder until broken into pieces the size of Maldon salt. Remove 2 tsp. toasted nori and mix with Mandon salt. Grind remaining nori pieces into fine powder; reserve. Once warmed through, remove hamachi filets and blot with paper towel. Season with nori salt. Mix 2 Tbsp. melon liquid with nori powder until it's the consistency of light syrup. Check seasoning.

To Serve: Arrange hamachi , avocado, and melon slices on a plate and drizzle sauce with melon and nori jus.

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