Featured Chef:

Akira Back, Executive Chef,
Yellowtail Restaurant Bellagio Resort and Casino, Las Vegas
Kona Kampachi® Heaven

Ingredients

  • 5 oz. Kona Kampachi fillet, cut in two pieces: 1-3 oz portion,
          1-2 oz. portion
  • ¼ cup Korean Acacia Honey
  • 8 ea. Cherry Tomatoes, blanched, peeled
  • 1 ea. Serrano Chili, sliced width-wise, rinsed under
           cold water for 20 minutes
  • 1 oz. Bubu Arare Rice Crackers
  • ¼ cup Micro Bull's Blood
  • ¼ cup Micro Cilantro
  • 1 ½ Tbsp. Kizami Wasabi
  • 1 Tbsp. Black Pepper, coarse ground
  • A.N. Canola Oil

Dish Preparation

Dashi:
  • 2 qt. Water
  • ¼ cup Bonito Flakes
  • ¼ oz. Kombu

  • - In a small stock pot, bring water and kombu to slight simmer. Remove from heat and add bonito flakes. Let rest for 20 minutes.
  • - Strain dashi broth through chinois into separate container. Hold aside.

Miso Soup:
  • 1 qt. Dashi
  • 2 ½ oz. Shiro Miso Paste

  • - In a small stock pot, combine dashi and miso paste together. Mix thoroughly with a whisk until miso paste has completely separated. Strain through chinois into separate container. Set aside.

Blood Orange-Miso Froth:
  • 6 oz. Miso Soup
  • 2 oz. Blood Orange Juice
  • 1 oz. Nigori Sake
  • 1 tsp. Soy Lecithin
  • A.N. Salt
  • A.N. White Pepper, ground

  • - In a small saucepot, combine sake and blood orange juice and reduce by half. Add miso soup and bring to slight simmer.
  • - Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add soy lecithin and froth with hand blender. Reserve on side.

Yuzu-Soy:
  • 5 oz. Soy Sauce
  • 2 oz. Yuzu Juice

  • - In a small mixing bowl, combine soy sauce and yuzu juice. Mix thoroughly. Hold aside.

Shiso Chips:
  • 4 ea. Shiso Leaves, cut in half length-wise
  • A.N. Salt

  • - Fry shiso leaves in deep fryer at 350 degree Fahrenheit until crispy.
  • - Remove from fryer and drain on paper towels. Season with a little salt. Hold aside.

Dish Assembly

  • - Heat up small sauté pan with a little bit of canola oil in it. Quickly sear 2 oz. piece of Kona Kampachi on all sides. Set aside on cutting board to cool.

  • - Thinly slice the 3 oz. portion of Kona Kampachi, making sure to get 8 slices out of the piece. Thinly slice the seared Kona Kampachi, making sure to get 4 slices out of the piece.

  • - Lay out 4 pieces of raw Kona Kampachi slices length-wise. Place 5-6 pieces of micro cilantro in each and roll it together. Repeat with the remaining 4 raw slices, only this time roll with micro bull's blood instead. Set Kona Kampachi rolls aside.

  • - Roll the 4 seared slices up and place 1 slice of serrano chili on top of each slice. Set rolls aside.

  • - Lightly brush a thin coating of acacia honey across the center of the plate from left to right. Cover the center of the plate with bubu arare. Brush away excess until the line of acacia honey is covered and "crusted" with the bubu arare.

  • - Place a cherry tomato in front of the arare/honey line and place another ¾ of the way down the line. Set Kona Kampachi rolls with micro cilantro to the right of the first cherry tomato, followed by the seared Kona Kampachi rolls with the serrano chilis. Set the remaining Kona Kampachi rolls with micro bull's blood to the right of the second cherry tomato.

  • - Place a small bit of kizami wasabi on top of the Kona Kampachi rolls with micro bull's blood. Garnish with 2 pieces of shiso chips, leaning them against the cherry tomatoes.

  • - Heat up blood orange-miso froth slightly and create foam using hand blender. Drop 3 spoonfuls of froth around the plate and finish with a drizzle of yuzu-soy. Serve immediately.