crudo Archives - Page 2 of 4 - Taste With The Eyes

Parisian Tuna Tartare

Albacore Tuna Tartare in the “French Steak” Style

By many accounts, Restaurant Le Duc was the first in Paris to serve Nouvelle raw fish beginning around 1975, including salmon tartare and tuna tartare. In 1984 at Chaya Brasserie in Beverly Hills, Chef Shigefumi Tachibe put tuna tartare on the map. But STEAK tartare appeared in bistros long before, as early as the late 19th century in France.

This Parisian version of tuna tartare has none of the current popular ingredients – no avocado, no sesame oil, no ginger, no soy sauce. It is prepared in the old style of French Steak Tartare with classic components including onion, capers, pickles, and egg.

The sauce is a combination of mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, and Worcestershire sauce. Instead of the standard raw egg yolk, a hard boiled egg yolk is pressed through a course mesh sieve to make a rich fluffy addition to the condiments.

Sushi-quality raw albacore tuna has a soft, buttery texture and mild flavor. The meat of albacore tuna species is white or pale pink in color. Albacore is simply lovely in this Parisian style first course, which is equally stellar as a happy hour appetizer with a glass of Rosé…

Parisian Tuna Tartare

Parisian Tuna Tartare Recipe

Continue reading “Parisian Tuna Tartare”

Citrus Salmon Crudo à la Mayfair Supper Club

Citrus Salmon Crudo
(Orange-Lime-Lemon Emulsion, Yuzu Kosho)

Citrus Salmon à la Mayfair Supper Club

Dinner at Mayfair Supper Club Las Vegas

A couple of years ago we had a wonderful dining experience at the Mayfair Supper Club at the Bellagio in Las Vegas. Fine food and wines, impeccable service, and mesmerizing entertainment made for a most memorable evening. Totally enamored by their Heirloom Tomato Salad, I re-created it here.

Well… we recently returned to celebrate my sister’s birthday. And the Mayfair Supper Club again did not disappoint with its glitz and glamour and old-school clubby ambiance.

Citrus Salmon à la Mayfair Supper Club

Citrus Salmon Crudo à la Mayfair Supper Club

Our Mayfair Supper Club Meal

Continue reading “Citrus Salmon Crudo à la Mayfair Supper Club”

Salmon Crudo, Blackberry Ponzu

You might have noticed that we are making our fair share of raw salmon dishes here. In my search for an interesting pairing with salmon, I came across quite a few sites from the Pacific Northwest where local salmon was paired with local blackberries.

Usually referring to a wine and food pairing, the saying goes “what grows together goes together.” Roughly speaking, the idea is that local wine and local foods complement each other. Seems to work very well for this land & sea pairing as well.

Ponzu sauce (ponzu shoyu) is a Japanese condiment commonly made with citrus, soy sauce, mirin, and dashi. Here, blackberries add a tart fruitiness and a striking color purple.

The sushi-quality raw salmon slices are steeped in blackberry ponzu for just 5 to 10 minutes to infuse the flavors. Crunchy cucumber, peppery radish, spicy jalapeño, and buttery-nutty pine nuts add pizzazz to this appealing crudo dish. Togarashi, a Japanese spicy seasoning made with ground nori, sea salt, various chili powders, orange peel, and sesame seeds adds complexity and the finishing touch.

Salmon Crudo, Blackberry Ponzu Recipe

Continue reading “Salmon Crudo, Blackberry Ponzu”

Salmon Crudo, Lemon Orange Emulsion

Salmon Crudo - Lemon Orange Emulsion

Salmon Crudo, Lemon Orange Emulsion
Radish, Jalapeño, Red Onion, Marcona Almonds

If you are loving raw fish like we are here, definitely put Sashimi-Quality Sockeye Salmon on your list.

The more raw salmon I prepare and serve, the more I prefer the Sockeye species. There are five species of Pacific salmon that can be found in North American waters – king aka chinook, sockeye aka red, coho aka silver, keta aka chum, and pink aka humpback.

Sockeye salmon have a beautiful bright red flesh that is bold and intense and flavorful. Its dense, meaty texture facilitates the cutting of lovely raw thin slices. The leaner flesh of sockeye balances and harmonizes with rich citrusy olive oil emulsions. Sockeye + Crudo = A Winning Combination!

Sockeye Salmon Crudo Recipe

Continue reading “Salmon Crudo, Lemon Orange Emulsion”

RE-Creating Joël Robuchon Las Vegas

Joël Robuchon - MGM Grand Las Vegas — A Table at Joël Robuchon – MGM Grand Las Vegas

RE-Creating Joël Robuchon Las Vegas

The past month has been very special. We were celebrating birthdays, anniversaries, 15 years of Taste With The Eyes, 3 years of living in Las Vegas, and the Platinum Jubilee of the Queen (remembering my mother’s trip to London for the Coronation in 1952).

The highlight of our celebrations was an exquisite dinner at Joël Robuchon’s eponomous Three Michelin Star restaurant at the MGM Grand Las Vegas. The entire experience ranks as one of our finest meals, ever. It was French Perfection.

The “Chef of the Century” sadly passed away in 2018, but his restaurants certainly keep his artistry, passion, and spirit alive. A single framed photo of the late Chef graces the credenza at the entrance to the restaurant.

The world-class restaurants, with a concentration of the world’s best chefs, were one of the many reasons I was excited to move to Vegas. They are now just 21 minutes (get it?) from my house! Of all the great ones, Joël Robuchon at MGM Grand is the crown jewel.

The Pierre-Yves Rochon art-deco Parisian apartment décor is swathed in plush hues of purple. The space exudes the same type of elegance found on the plate — we were inspired to savor every moment with all the senses. Trolleys were overflowing with breads and cheeses and mignardises. The impeccable service, opulent décor, unparalleled brilliant dishes….all made for a truly unforgettable evening.

RE-Creating Joël Robuchon Las Vegas

One of my most cherished creative outlets is to re-create historical events through food. Presidential Inaugural Luncheons in 2013 and 2017, Julia Child’s First Meal in France in 1948, and Dinner in Julia’s Cambridge Kitchen, are a few examples of many of my favorite re-creations. (See all the links below).

For this celebration, I am RE-Creating the restaurant in my home atelier and preparing a Salmon Crudo in a style in which I think the Chef would approve.