When one of your favorite restaurants (I won’t name names) removes a profitable, bestselling dish from its menu, and the reason you’re given is that “the chef is tired of making it,” you kind of have to scratch your head and ask yourself: “What’s wrong with this picture?”
In this particular case, I decided to make it on my own. It’s really not hard to do…just takes a little time. But the end result is totally worth it.
6 hard-boiled eggs
1/4 cup + extra mayonnaise
8 oz. high quality raw tuna
3 tablespoons soy sauce (I use gluten-free)
1/2 teaspoon chili oil
1/4 cup finely chopped scallions
1 teaspoon sesame seeds
fish roe (optional, see below)
handful fresh spinach, or cucumbers (see below)
The best way to hard-boil eggs is to put them in a pot of cold water. Turn the heat on high and bring to a boil. As soon as the water boils, turn the heat off and place a lid on the pot. Let it sit for 15 minutes. Perfect eggs every time. Remove the eggs from the water and cool them in the fridge.
If the tuna is frozen, let it thaw a little. If it’s fresh, you might need to place it into the freezer for about 10 minutes to firm up. That makes it easier to cube up. Slice the tuna carefully into the smallest cubes you can make. Once done, place the tuna in a bowl and put it back in the fridge until ready to use.
In a separate small bowl, combine the soy sauce and the chili oil. Set aside.
Finely chop the scallions. Set aside.
Once the eggs have cooled, peel them and cut them in half. Scoop out the yolks and place them in a bowl, starting with 1/4 cup of the mayonnaise. Add more mayo if needed. Mix well. I use a fork and try to get as many of the lumps out as possible. If you want to go crazy, you can put them in a blender or food processor to make a creamy puree. And again, you can place the puree in a piping bag and carefully squeeze out the puree into each egg half. I simply use a spoon.
Once all the egg halves are filled, place them on a spinach leaf-covered dish and put them back in the fridge until ready to serve.
When you’re ready to serve, take the tuna out of the fridge. Pour the soy sauce/chili oil mix into the bowl and mix well. Let the tuna marinate for just 2 minutes. Then pour off the excess marinade, or it’ll get too salty.
Remove the plate of eggs from the fridge and carefully put a small spoonful of tuna on top of each one. Garnish with the sesame seeds and the chopped scallions and serve immediately.
Optional: Instead of the bed of spinach, here’s another way to serve that works just as well: Peel a cucumber and cut the ends off. Slice the cuke into 1/2″ slices. Then carefully remove the seeds from the center to make a “cuke donut.” Use these as little stands to hold your eggs on the plate. When ready to serve, remove the eggs from the fridge and top them with the raw tuna without marinating it first. Drizzle the soy sauce/chili oil over the top of the eggs, garnishing with the sesame seeds, scallions, and a touch of fish roe.
Live the Live ™ 