Monkfish Liver Torchon

Steelhead Trout Belly Tartare, Hiramasa Crudo, Razi Clam Ceviche

Chef Jonathan Kallini of Bacchanalia | Atlanta

One Wine and a Seven-component Fruits de Mer
“Didier is the best expression of Sauvignon Blanc in the world,” says Andrew Harris, wine director at Bacchanalia and self-proclaimed lover of all things Pouillu-Fumé and Domaine Didier Dagueneau. Harris pairs Dagueneau’s 2014 Silex Sauvignon Blanc ($299 on his wine list) with Chef Jonathan Kallini’s epic, seven-component fruit de mers. The wine displays flinty grace and otherworldly dexterity, weaving in and out of sweet-saline oysters, bright ceviche, floral shiso, and rich panna cotta. “It has a purity of fruit and intense minerality to balance the seafood, along with high acid for the fat content,” says Harris. It’s a benchmark wine for the show-stopping beginning to a meal at Bacchanalia.

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Adapted by StarChefs | February 2018

INGREDIENTS

Monkfish Liver Torchon:
Yield: 6 to 8 servings
1 monkfish liver
Salt
Instacure #1
Sugar
Sake
Fish gelatin powder
Pickled red shiso leaves
Finger lime arils

Razor Clam Ceviche:
Yield: 15 servings
5 pounds razor clams
2 preserved Meyer lemons, seeds removed
Juice of 1 Meyer lemon
1 teaspoon Ultratex 8
5 ounces Georgia olive oil

Steelhead Trout Belly Tartare:
Yield: 1 serving
3 perilla leaves
Lemon verbena oil
4 ounces steelhead trout belly brunoise
Georgia olive oil
Sudachi juice
Bronze fennel stems and fronds

Hiramasa Crudo:
Yield: 1 serving
2 ounces hiramasa loin, thinly sliced
Marigold-infused crab apple vinegar
Pecan oil
Fresh horseradish, microplaned
Murray River pink salt

METHOD

For the Monkfish Liver Torchon:
In a large, nonreactive container filled with ice water, soak monkfish livers for 8 hours. Change the water and soak 8 hours more. One by one, using a sharp knife, trace along the lines of the veins in the liver, delicately removing them. With a pair of tweezers, remove any worms found in the liver. Scale cleaned livers. By liver weight, scale and combine 1 percent salt, 0.75 percent Instacure, 0.5 percent sugar, and 2.5 percent sake. In a vacuum bag, combine livers and curing mixture; seal, place in refrigerator, and cure 24 hours. Heat the water bath of an immersion circulator to 64°C. Remove livers from bag and place them on a sheet of plastic wrap, vein side up. Sprinkle a thin, even layer of gelatin powder over the surface. Tightly torque the liver into a cylinder, periodically piercing the film to remove any caught air. Twist the ends, forcing the liver into a very firm package. Place torchons into individual vacuum bags and seal. Cook torchons sous vide 3 hours and 15 minutes. Remove bags from circulator and chill in an ice bath; refrigerate 12 hours. Carefully remove torchons, and pat dry. On a sheet of plastic wrap, align a series of pickled red shiso leaves. Place a torchon on top of the leaves and roll to coat the exterior. Repeat with remaining torchons. Slice Monkfish Liver Torchon into ¼-inch rounds. Garnish with finger lime.

For the Razor Clam Ceviche:
Using the handle of a spoon, slowly trace the inside of the razor clam shells, detaching the meat from the shell. With a sharp knife, remove the siphon from the foot. Reserve the siphon for other preparations. Rinse the collected feet briefly in very cold water. Pat dry. Slice the razor clam feet very thinly at an angle; they should resemble sliced garlic. In a Vitamix blender, beginning on low speed, purée preserved Meyer lemons, Meyer lemon juice, and Ultratex 8. When the mixture is smooth, add and emulsify oil, being careful not to heat the mixture excessively. Pass vinaigrette through a chinois and check the seasoning. In vacuum bag, combine razor clams and vinaigrette, seal, and compress. Marinate at least 3 hours.

For the Steelhead Trout Belly Tartare:
In a vacuum bag set atop a plastic cutting board, carefully lay out perilla leaves so they do not touch. Using a small squeeze bottle, apply lemon verbena oil to the bag to lightly cover the leaves. Place another cutting board on top of the bag and transfer to a vacuum sealer; seal on high. Slice open the sides of the bag and peel back the top layer of plastic. When separated, carefully remove leaves one at a time. Shave fennel stems on a mandolin. In a small mixing bowl, delicately fold together trout belly with a small amount of olive oil, sudachi juice, salt, and shaved fennel stems. Place a spoonful of tartare into the center of each leaf and roll into a cylinder. Garnish with fennel fronds.

For the Hiramasa Crudo:
Onto a chilled plate, arrange hiramasa slices. With a squeeze bottle, drizzle a small amount of marigold-infused crab apple vinegar and toasted pecan oil over top. Season with salt. Finish with a small amount of horseradish on top of each piece of fish.

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