More Fish on Maui

This is THE dish we always make when we go to visit our friends on Maui. The first time we made this when visiting was the year our other friends Thomas and Teena got married - 19? 20? years ago?? Well, whenever that was - Linda made a batch of the Tempura Ahi and after we scarfed it down in record time somebody said "wow, that was so amazing, wish we had some more" and Linda said "well, we do have some more tempura batter - I threw it in the trash - but it's in a jar with a lid on it" So yes, we got it out of the trash (it was on top) and ran to the store for another hunk of sashimi tuna and the rest is history. I love traditions - especially food traditions!

Ahi Tempura serves 4 very happy people

2 blocks of fresh Sashimi Ahi Tuna about 1/3 to 1/2 pound each (it really helps being in Hawaii)
wasabi
2 dried nori sheets
for the tempura
1 egg
3/4 cup ice water (just very very cold)
1 cup flour = whisk egg, water and flour until smooth
for the butter sauce
1/4 cup white wine
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
3 tablespoons minced shallots
1 oz of heavy cream or just a large splash
1 stick of butter cut into chunks
mustard sauce
2 tablespoons Coleman's dry mustard
1 tablespoon warm water
2 tablespoons soy sauce - whisk mustard, water and soy together
extra soy on a plate
little bit of flour on another plate
oil for frying
extra veggies for batter (onion rings, sliced sweet potatoes, green beans, carrots)

Take 1 sheet of nori and spread a thin covering of wasabi around on it then place 1 piece of tuna in the middle and fold up like an envelope. Keep cold and make the butter sauce. In a little pot place the wine, vinegar and shallots and cook until most of liquid evaporates, then add the cream and cook for a couple more min. Let cool slightly then start adding 1 cube of butter at a time with a whisk, letting it melt and absorb. If it's too hot, it will "split" the sauce, let it cool some more and continue adding a piece at a time until it is a creamy to die for sauce. Be patient otherwise it will end up just oily and not creamy. Then whisk in the mustard soy sauce mixture.  Heat the oil - at least a couple inches deep - we do this on the extra burner on the grill outside. Take the tuna envelope and dip in the extra soy then dip in the flour then finally the tempura batter and gently place in the hot oil. I like it really rare so I cooked it for about 1 min, then turned and cooked another minute basically to crisp up the batter. Remove to paper towel lined plate and then with a very sharp knife slice into rounds. Repeat with the other piece of tuna. Pour the sauce in the middle of on large platter and lay the rounds attractively around or serve on individual plates to avoid fighting. With any leftover batter - fry up some veggies!

At Sarah's graduation Luau All the proud Parents!