Re: [CH] Vong Raid
Mary-Anne Durkee (durkee.ch.list@gmail.com)
Wed, 1 Nov 2006 14:02:35 -0800
We buy vacuum packed frozen at sea ahi and this is a perfect way to
prepare it beside raw.
Tuna Spring Roll with Soybean Coulis
Jean-Georges Vongericten
Makes 4 servings
Time: 1 hour
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.
This makes four spring rolls, enough for four good appetizers. It is
not a difficult recipe to double.
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 (to your taste)
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
1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.)
4. 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.
On 11/1/06, =Mark <mstevens@exit109.com> wrote:
> Rich and =I hit Vong (Among other things):
>
> http://www.exit109.com/~mstevens/nycfood/
>
>