Seared Ahi Tuna Carpaccio on Plantain Curls
Yield | 16 appetizers |
- 2 Tbsp sesame oil
- ¼ cup white sesame seeds
- ¼ cup black sesame seeds
- 1 Tbsp wasabi powder
- 2 8-oz, 1½-inch-square strips tuna loin*
- 1 Tbsp sea salt
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- 1 green plantain, peeled and sliced thinly on a bias
- soy-rum glaze (recipe follows)
- mango salsa (recipe follows)
| Preparation | In a heavy nonstick sauté pan, heat sesame oil over medium heat. Combine sesame seeds and wasabi powder. Season tuna with salt and roll in sesame-wasabi mixture to coat. When oil is almost smoking, place tuna in pan and lightly brown all sides. Remove from heat, cool and cut into 16 slices.
In a heavy sauce pot, heat oil to 350ºF. Place plantain strips in oil and fry until crisp. Drain on paper towel. Top each plantain with tuna, drizzle with soy-rum glaze and top with mango salsa.
*Ask your fishmonger to cut these strips for you.
Mango Salsa
This salsa is excellent with grilled or seared seafood or chicken.
By Greg Ziegenfuss, Butler’s Pantry Catering
Yield | 1 cup |
- ¾ cup finely diced fresh mango
- ¼ cup sweet chile sauce
- 1 Tbsp rice wine vinegar
- 1 Tbsp fresh cilantro, cut into chiffonade
| Preparation | In medium mixing bowl, combine all ingredients and mix thoroughly.
Soy-Rum Glaze
This sauce can be prepared up to a week in advance and refrigerated until ready to use.
By Greg Ziegenfuss, Butler’s Pantry Catering
Yield | 1 cup |
- 1 cup low-sodium soy sauce
- 1 cup + 2 oz dark rum, such as Myers’s
- 1 Tbsp cornstarch
| Preparation | Combine soy sauce and 1 cup rum in a heavy sauce pot and reduce by half. In a separate bowl, prepare a slurry by whisking together cornstarch and 2 ounces rum. Whisk into the soy-rum mixture and boil until thickened. Remove from heat and cool. Place in a squeeze bottle with small tip for drizzling.
Thai Coconut Curry Prawns
Yield | 24 appetizers |
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp Old Bay seasoning
- 1 tsp curry powder
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 1 cup ginger beer
- 1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
- 1 cup panko bread crumbs
- vegetable oil for frying
- 24 large shrimp, peeled and skewered straight
- lime aïoli (recipe follows)
| Preparation | In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, Old Bay seasoning, curry powder and baking powder. Add egg and ginger beer, and whisk until just combined but still lumpy. Let stand for 15 minutes. In a separate bowl, combine coconut and bread crumbs; set aside.
Fill a medium, deep-sided heavy pot half-full with oil, and heat oil to 375ºF. Dip shrimp in the batter one at a time, allowing excess to drip back into the bowl, and then roll each shrimp in the coconut mixture. Working in batches, deep-fry shrimp until cooked through and golden-brown, about 2½ minutes. Transfer shrimp to paper towel-lined baking sheet to drain. Remove skewers; before serving, place in a 350°F oven and cook an additional 4 to 5 minutes to heat through. Serve hot with lime aïoli.
Lime Aïoli
This sauce can be prepared up to a week in advance and refrigerated until ready to use.
Yield | 1 cup |
- ¾ cup mayonnaise
- 2 tsp soy sauce
- 1 lime, zested and juiced
- ½ tsp sriracha sauce
| Preparation | In a small mixing bowl, combine all ingredients and mix thoroughly.
Caramelized Bacon-Wrapped Pineapple
Yield | 24 appetizers |
- 12 slices thick-sliced bacon, halved crosswise
- 1 pineapple, peeled, cored and cut into 24 one-inch cubes
- 24 bamboo skewers
- ¼ cup dark brown sugar
- sweet and sour sauce (recipe follows)
| Preparation | Preheat oven to 375ºF. Wrap one piece of bacon around each pineapple chunk and secure with skewer. Place on baking sheet and bake for 5 minutes, turn and bake additional 5 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle generously with brown sugar. At this point, the dish can be refrigerated for up to 48 hours, if desired. When ready to serve, return to oven and cook for 5 minutes, until caramelized. Serve warm with sweet and sour sauce.
Sweet and Sour Sauce
By Greg Ziegenfuss, Butler’s Pantry Catering
Yield | 1 cup |
- 1 Tbsp vegetable oil
- ½ cup finely diced red bell pepper
- 1 tsp minced garlic
- 1 tsp grated fresh ginger
- 1 cup pineapple juice
- 1/3 cup honey
- ¼ cup rice wine vinegar
- 1 tsp sriracha sauce
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 Tbsp cornstarch
- 1 lemon, zested and juiced
| Preparation | Heat oil in heavy sauce pot over medium heat. Add red bell pepper, and sauté until wilted. Add garlic and ginger, and sauté until aromatic. Add pineapple juice, honey, rice wine vinegar, sriracha sauce and salt. Bring to a boil and reduce by ¼. In a separate bowl, make a slurry by whisking together cornstarch and lemon juice. Whisk into sauce pot and boil mixture until thickened. Remove from heat and stir in lemon zest.
Classic Crab Rangoon Petals
Yield | 24 appetizers |
- 2 Tbsp minced red onion
- 1 Tbsp sesame oil
- 1 Tbsp minced garlic
- ¼ tsp freshly ground white pepper
- ½ tsp low-sodium soy sauce
- ½ tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 6 oz crab meat, drained and flaked
- 6 oz cream cheese, softened
- vegetable oil for frying
- 1 pkg won ton wrappers
- 1 Tbsp bias-cut chives
- Blood Orange and Smoked Paprika Sauce (recipe follows)
| Preparation | Sauté red onion in sesame oil over medium heat until wilted. Stir in garlic and quickly sauté until aromatic. Remove from heat and add white pepper, soy sauce, Worcestershire, crab meat and cream cheese. Stir to completely blend.
Fill a medium, deep-sided, heavy pot half-full with oil, and heat oil to 375ºF. Cut won ton wrappers in half, forming two triangles, and then place one half between two small ladles to form a “petal.” Lower into hot oil and fry until crisp. Drain and cool. Repeat with remaining wrappers. Won ton petals can be prepared up to one week in advance and stored in an airtight container at room temperature, if desired. When ready to serve, fill won ton cups with cream cheese filling and any additional crab meat, if desired. Bake rangoon at 350ºF until heated through, 4 to 5 minutes.
| To Serve | Garnish with chives and serve with Blood Orange and Smoked Paprika Sauce.
Blood Orange and Smoked Paprika Sauce
By Greg Ziegenfuss, Butler’s Pantry Catering
Yield | 2 cups |
- 2 blood oranges, juiced
- ¾ cup orange marmalade
- ¼ cup rice wine vinegar
- ½ cup sweet chile sauce
- 1 Tbsp smoked paprika
- 2 tsp white pepper
- 1 Tbsp kosher salt
| Preparation | Combine all ingredients in a medium mixing bowl and whisk to blend. Taste, and adjust seasoning if necessary.