Yellowfin Ahi Tostadito Recipe

Prepare the tuna

Trim any connective tissue from the yellowfin ahi and pat dry with paper towels. Using a very sharp knife, cut the tuna into 1/4-inch dice or into thin 1/8-inch slices depending on your preferred presentation. Keep chilled while you prepare the marinade.

Marinate

In a chilled bowl combine fresh lime juice, soy sauce, sesame oil, fine sea salt and black pepper. Stir to dissolve the salt. Add the diced or sliced tuna and gently fold to coat. Let marinate on ice or in the refrigerator for 5–8 minutes — just long enough to slightly cure the surface while keeping raw texture inside. Do not over-marinate.

Finish the crudo

Right before plating, fold in thinly sliced chives. Taste one small piece and adjust salt or lime if needed. Keep chilled until assembly.

Thinly slice the English cucumber on a mandoline or with a very sharp knife into 1/16–1/8-inch rounds. If the cucumber is seedy, scoop seeds out before slicing.

In a small bowl whisk rice vinegar, granulated sugar and kosher salt until sugar dissolves. Add cucumber slices and toss to coat. Let sit 5 minutes to slightly pickle and drain any excess liquid on paper towel. Toss in toasted sesame seeds and optional thinly sliced red chili. Keep refrigerated until plating.

Heat neutral oil in a small heavy-bottomed saucepan or skillet to 350°F (175°C). If you don't have a thermometer, test with a corner of wonton: it should sizzle immediately and brown in about 20–30 seconds.

Stack wonton wrappers and cut them into triangles (cut once diagonally and again to make 4 triangles per wrapper), or leave whole for round chips. Fry in small batches, 6–8 seconds per side, turning once, until light golden and blistered. Do not overcrowd the oil.

Transfer chips to a paper towel–lined tray and immediately sprinkle with fine sea salt to taste. Let cool to crisp (they will continue to crisp as they cool).

In a small bowl combine mayonnaise, soy sauce, lime juice and wasabi paste. Whisk until smooth. If the sauce is too thick for drizzling, thin with up to 1 teaspoon of water to reach a ribbon-like consistency that will pipe or drizzle easily.

Arrange 6–8 wonton chips on a serving board or each plate as a base. Spoon a small mound (about 1 1/2 oz) of cucumber salad onto each chip to create a stable bed.

Top the cucumber with 2 oz of the marinated ahi crudo per chip (or 1–2 teaspoons per canapé), placing the fish gently so it sits on the cucumber.

Drizzle a small amount of the wasabi-soy sauce over each topped chip (use a squeeze bottle or spoon for neatness).

Garnish with micro cilantro or cilantro leaves and a few threads of thinly sliced scallion. Serve immediately with extra lime wedges on the side.

Serve promptly so wonton chips remain crisp. Leftover marinated tuna can be refrigerated up to 24 hours but is best eaten the same day.