Prawn Tartare
Caviar, Finger Lime, Daikon-Apple Kimchi, Rice Crackers
Chef Tristan Aitchison of Providence | Los Angeles
Adapted by StarChefs | June 2017
INGREDIENTS
Daikon-Apple Kimchi:
Yield: 50 servings
3 large daikon, peeled and cut into large, thin slices
Salt
2 Fuji apples, peeled, cored, and cut into large, thin slice
1 jalapeno, halved lengthwise
5 cloves garlic, smashed
100 grams ginger, smashed
1 bunch green onions, white part only, trimmed
Sugar
Spot Prawn Rice Crackers:
Yield: 50 servings
2 live spot prawns
1 cup Royal Basmati rice
Canola oil
Maldon sea salt
To Assemble and Serve:
Yield: 2 servings
Salt
Juice of 1 lemon
Olive oil
1 finger lime
Finely chopped chives
Sturia caviar
Radish flowers
2 small pieces gold leaf
METHOD
For the Daikon-Apple Kimchi:
Weigh prepared daikon and scale 3 percent of the weight in salt. In a storage container, sprinkle daikon with salt on both sides, using all the salt. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. Drain daikon, measuring and recording the volume of liquid. Add liquid back to container with daikon and add twice the recorded volume of liquid in filtered water. Mix in remaining ingredients, seasoning with just enough sugar to balance the salt. Cover mixture and place a weight on top to keep daikon submerged. Set aside in a cool place (around 70°F) for 5 days, until desired fermentation is achieved. Refrigerate.
For the Spot Prawn Rice Crackers:
Peel prawns, removing heads and roe. Set aside tails and roe in refrigerator. In a pot, combine rice and 3 cups water. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently so rice doesn’t burn. When most of the water has evaporated and the rice is fully cooked, add prawn heads. Using an immersion blender, blend mixture until smooth and consistency of thick porridge. If the mixture is loose, continue cooking until thickened. Heat oven to 150°F. Grease and line a sheet tray with parchment. In the center, place 2 large spoonfuls of rice mixture. Place another greased sheet of parchment on top. Using a rolling pin, fl atten mixture until 3 millimeters thick. Remove top sheet. Dry in oven until crisp. In a pot over medium-high fl ame, heat oil to 400°F. Break up cracker sheet and drop crackers into oil. When puff ed, drain crackers on paper towels. Season with salt. Store in a cool, dry place.
To Assemble and Serve:
In a large pot of boiling salted water seasoned with lemon and oil, blanch prawn roe. Drain and chill roe. Place prawn tails in ice bath to fi rm up; remove from bath and brunoise. Place a bowl in the ice bath and place chopped prawns in bowl. Brunoise slices of daikon and apple from Daikon-Apple Kimchi and add to prawns. Gently incorporate into the tartare the lime pulp, chives, roe, oil, and salt. Spoon tartare into a small serving bowl and top with a generous scoop of caviar. Garnish with radish fl owers and gold leaf. Serve with Spot Prawn-Rice Crackers.
