In the Kitchen with a Southern Sushi Chef

Sashimi Tacos

Master sushi chef Nobu Matsuhisa is most likely one of the world’s most influential sushi chefs. His take on sashimi is particularly world-renowned as he creates delicious fusions that maintain the integrity of the fish used. Whenever I’m in a city that plays host to one of his restaurants, I make it a point to visit.

Sashimi tacos is one dish that I’ve never had the pleasure of sampling in one of Nobu’s restaurants, so I had to make them myself. What a delicious concept! Fresh sashimi is cradled inside bite sized corn tortilla shells before being topped with salsa. It is the ultimate fish taco.

I’ve experimented with these on several occasions. The application works wonderfully with tuna, but don’t be afraid to try other fresh seafood. I’ve found that the corn tortilla shells complement the flavor of salmon, yellowtail (hamachi), and scallops. Also, try shaking things up a bit by adding a sliver of avocado.

Sashimi Tacos with Korean Melon Salsa

Makes 8 mini tacos

1/2 cup sashimi grade yellowfin tuna, chopped

4-6 fresh, uncooked corn tortillas

oil for frying

1/4 cup Korean melon or honeydew melon, finely diced

1/4 cup cucumber, finely diced

2 tsp onion, finely chopped

1/2 tsp garlic, finely chopped

1 tsp jalapeno, finely chopped

juice of 1/2 lime

sea salt to taste

shredded cabbage or daikon for garnish

To make the taco shells, cut out 8 circles from the corn tortillas that are about 2 1/2 inches in diameter. (Don’t throw out those scraps! They can be used to make delicious crunchy rolls.) Heat about 1 inch of oil in a heavy bottomed pan to 350 degrees F. With a pair of tongs or a taco maker, fold circles one at a time into a taco shape and hold in the hot oil until set, about 15 seconds. Then continue frying until taco shell is crisp, about 1 –2 minutes more. Place taco shells on paper towels and sprinkle lightly with salt.

To prepare the salsa, toss together Korean melon, cucumber, onion, garlic, jalapeno, and lime juice. Add salt to taste.

To assemble tacos, place 1 TBSP of chopped yellowfin tuna in each taco shell. Sprinkle lightly with sea salt. Top each taco with 1 TBSP salsa. Serve on a bed of shredded daikon or cabbage. (Though sea salt should be sufficient, these tacos are very good with a bit of ponzu.) Serve immediately.

Other Good Combinations

Salmon with Avocado, Shredded Cabbage, Marinated Cucumber and Anchovy Mayo

Tuna with Mango Salsa (Pictured)

Scallops with Pico de Gallo