Tuna Spring Roll with Soybean Coulis
Although these spring rolls are cooked, the tuna remains raw, or essentially so. With the soy and cilantro "pesto" and the double-wrapping, this is a really beautiful presentation, one that has been served at Jean-Georges' Vong restaurants for years.
T
his makes four spring rolls, enough for four
good appetizers. It is not a difficult recipe to double.
Makes 4 portions
Ingredients:
1 pound edamame (fresh soybeans), fresh or
frozen and thawed
1 big bunch cilantro, thick stems removed, washed and left wet
1 tablespoon nam pla (Thai fish sauce)
1 clove garlic, peeled
2 Thai chiles, stemmed and seeded
1 tablespoon lime juice
4 large leaves of Savoy cabbage
12 ounces tuna, cut into 4 equal rectangles
2 tablespoons pickled ginger
Cracked black pepper
4 spring roll wrappers, each 8 inches square
2 egg yolks, beaten in a bowl
Oil for deep frying
Salt
Soy sauce
Preparation:
Shell the soybeans; cook them in boiling
salted water to cover for about 2 minutes, or until tender; drain. Set aside
about 1/4 cup for garnish and put the rest in the container of a blender with
the cilantro, nam pla, garlic, chiles, and lime juice. Puree, adding water as necessary (about 1/4
cup is usually right) to allow the machine to do its work; taste and adjust seasoning as necessary and set aside.
Blanch the cabbage leaves in boiling salted water to cover until tender but still a little crunchy, about 3 minutes. Drain and dry on towels; cut out the tough center vein. Lay a rectangle of tuna on each leaf, along with some of the pickled ginger; sprinkle with pepper. Roll up the leaf and
dry again.
Arrange one of the spring roll wrappers with a point facing you. Put the cabbage-wrapped tuna in the center of the wrapper and fold over the left and right corners so that they meet in the middle and one overlaps the other. Brush a bit of the egg yolk over the top half of the wrapper. Fold the
bottom half up, then roll tightly; the yolk will seal the spring roll. (You may prepare the spring rolls in advance up to this point; refrigerate, well-wrapped or in a covered container, for up to two hours before proceeding.)
Heat the oil to 375 degrees. Deep fry the spring rolls, for a minute or two, just until they are pale gold; the outside will become crisp but the tuna will remain raw. Use a serrated knife to cut each roll into three pieces, and sprinkle the open face of each piece with a tiny bit of salt and
soy sauce (it also looks nice if you drizzle a little soy sauce on the plate). Serve with the soy coulis, garnished with a few soybeans.
