It's pretty tough to go to a restaurant on Sand Lake Road that doesn't have tuna tartare or ahi tuna on the appetizer list. But it's uncommon to find a recipe that puts a Hawaiian twist into each delectable bite. That's just what we found during quite a memorable visit to Roy's.
Chef Mac Lynch revealed the secrets to an appetizer that makes Roy's a destination. Island-style Ahi Tuna Poke incorporates several ingredients that aren't in every grocery store.
"We have some sea asparagus here from Hawaii. It came in yesterday morning," Chef showed us. "It tastes just like the ocean."
Something else that's super hard to find is a traditional ingredient of Hawaii.
"One thing that really makes poke so great is inamona vinaigrette. And inamona is this right here - it's ground cacao nut."
Want some? Chef says he can save you an ounce if you let him know.
Let's get started! (NOTE: Sea asparagus is not included in this recipe to make it less complicated)
Ahi Tuna Poke
(Makes 4 Servings)
1lb. Sashimi Tuna
2 Ea. Avocado, Cubed
1 Ea. Vine Ripened Tomato
¼ Cup Cucumber, diced
¼ Cup Sweet Onion
1 tsp. Inamona, heaping
6 Ea. Scallions
¾ Cup Light Soy Sauce
¼ Cup Water
1 tsp. Rayu
Truffle Oil To Taste
~ Cooked Rice
~ Tortilla Chips
Procedure:
Dice Ahi Tuna into ¼ inch cubes and set aside.
Dice the tomato and onion into a fine dice. Cut the scallions into thin rings. In a mixing bowl, combine the tuna, sweet onion, tomatoes, scallions, cucumbers and inamona. Mix lightly.
Next, add the soy sauce, water, rayu, and truffle oil to the mixture, again tossing lightly.
Plating:
On a serving tray, build a thin layer of cooked rice in the center. Arrange tortilla chips around the rice. Neatly place Ahi Poke over the rice. Finish by garnishing with avocado.
So what wine would pair well? VINO VINO host Elliott joined us at our table.
"You're thinking ahi tuna, let's do white. But I think one of the great pairing wines is Pinot Noir. My favorite Pinot Noir comes from Oregon, but Meiomi is coming from California - three different coastal regions in California. And I sound like Miles from the movie "Sideways," but I think this will work very well with this dish."
Thirsty? Check out VINO VINO On Demand, available exclusively to Bright House digital cable customers.