The video above will take you through the process of creating and plating our ahi sashimi dish that we are currently serving at Stella. If you've already watched the video and just need a quick refresher, you can refer to the step by step pictures below. For more information on acquiring specific ingredients or supporting recipes, please see the notes section at the bottom of this post.
Stella's Ahi Sashimi Plate Up
Start by making cantaloupe caviar using basic inoic spherification. Remember, the caviar has to be made to order or it will become a hard, rubber pebble with little flavor.
Next, lay out three strips of cucumber that have been thinly sliced lengthwise on a mandolin and pickled in a basic pickling liquid. Using this recipe, allow the sliced cucumbers to "marinate" in the pickling liquid for at least an hour before using. Dabbing them on a clean kitchen towel before plating will wick off any excess moisture and vinegar, giving you a better plate presentation and flavor.
Next, slice the ahi loin that has been fabricated into saku block. Here we're serving a total of 4 ounces of ahi sashimi. You can adjust this portion up or down depending on what you feel is appropriate.
Drizzle some home made citrus teriyaki directly on top of the sliced sashimi, and make a decorative pattern on the plate. The pattern should have some symmetry with equal distancing on all sides in relation to the edge of the plate.
Lay three, drained pickled cucumber strips in the middle of the plate, with each strip slightly overlapping the last. Pay attention to the center of the plate, and make sure there is an equidistance between the cucumber and rim, both with horizontal and vertical placement.
Place a strip of seaweed salad down the center of the cucumbers (making sure to leave some of the cucumber exposed), then lay the sliced ahi on top. Top with the previously made cantaloupe caviar that has been drained and rinsed.
Season ahi and cantaloupe caviar with a small sprinkling of fleur de sel. Garnish the plate with a spoonful of dehydrated sesame oil in opposing corners and serve immediately.
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There are 8 Comments
Thanks Nina, I'm glad you
Thanks Nina, I'm glad you enjoyed the video.
Hey Jacob great video
Jacob,
Just want to thank you for all that you do. I know how busy a hopping dining room can keep you, and for you to find the time to put these videos out to help all of us chefs think about how we can incorporate these ideas into our own kitchens is just amazing!
Once again thanks for all your hard work!
Hey Spence, Thanks so much
Hey Spence,
Thanks so much for the great comment. The restaurant just keeps getting busier, so much so that we're already talking very seriously about possible expansions (like a dedicated teaching kitchen), but this website is very much a part of the Stella philosophy, so I have a lot more great stuff to come! Keep fightin' the good fight!
Jacob
Hi Jesse, Agar forms a
Hi Jesse,
Agar forms a stiff, brittle gel that is solid all the way through but also will have a different mouth feel and texture (it will not have the liquid center like the alginate caviar in this post). To make caviar out of agar, make a normal agar gel mix, and while it's still warm (before it's had a chance to solidify), drip through the nozzle of a squeeze bottle into a container of cold salad oil that has been stored in the freezer, to the point where it's as cold as it can be without becoming solid (about 2-3 hours in the freezer).
Strain caviar through a strainer and give a quick rinse under cold water to remove any excess oil. Agar gels do tend to weep, so storing the agar caviar in a flavored liquid helps them to keep longer.