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Recipe
Rare-Seared Yellowtail Hamachi Marinated in Tandoori Spices with Pickled Cucumber and Mango Salad
I first encountered tandoori powder in California and instantly knew I wanted to cook with its sweet, exotic flavor. I thought hamachi would be a good match for it, because its texture and density are similar to chicken. While we were marinating the fish in olive oil, lemon juice, and tandoori powder, we realized we already had a great sauce, rich in spice and acidity. The cucumber adds a hint of freshness to the dish.
Ingredients
The Pickled Cucumber and Mango Salad
- 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon Indian pickled mangoes, pureed
- 2 Japanese cucumbers, quartered lengthwise, seeded, and cut into 1/4-inch slices
- Fine sea salt and freshly ground white pepper
- 1 teaspoon cilantro julienne
The Hamachi
- Four 3-ounce sushi-quality yellowtail hamachi fillets, skin removed, trimmed to even rectangles
- Fine sea salt and freshly ground white pepper
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 teaspoons dried thyme
- 4 teaspoons tandoori powder
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 lemon, halved
The Garnish
- 1/4 cup micro greens
- Fine sea salt and freshly ground white pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon Sherry Vinaigrette
Sherry Vinaigrette
- 3 tablespoons sherry vinegar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup canola oil
- Fine sea salt and freshly ground white pepper to taste
Directions
For the cucumber and mango salad, combine the vinegar and sugar in a sauté pan over low heat and heat, stirring, until the sugar dissolves. Add the olive oil and pickled mango puree and bring to a simmer. Add the cucumbers and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Season with salt and white pepper and remove from the heat. Strain and refrigerate until chilled. Just before serving, add the cilantro julienne.
For the fish, season both sides of the hamachi with salt and white pepper. Combine the garlic, thyme, and tandoori powder in a small bowl, then rub the fillets with the mixture. Put the fish in a shallow dish, and drizzle the fillets with the extra virgin olive oil, turning once, and let marinate for 5 minutes.
Preheat a sauté pan over medium-high heat. Remove the hamachi fillets from the marinade (reserve the marinade) and sear for 1 to 2 minutes per side; the fish should be very rare but not cold in the middle.
To serve, place a 1 1/2-inch ring mold on one side of a serving plate. Pack one-quarter of the cucumber salad into the mold. Carefully remove the mold and repeat with the remaining three plates. Slice the hamachi into 1/4-inch-thick slices and shingle the slices on the other side of the plates. Squeeze some lemon juice over the hamachi and then add lemon juice to taste to the reserved marinade. Lightly season the micro greens with salt and white pepper, and gently toss with the sherry vinaigrette. Top the cucumber salads with the micro greens, drizzle the marinade around the hamachi, and serve immediately.
For the Sherry Vinaigrette: Combine the vinegars in a bowl and whisk to blend. Using an immersion blender, slowly drizzle in the extra virgin olive oil, olive oil, and canola oil. Season to taste with salt and white pepper.
Transfer the vinaigrette to a jar and refrigerate, tightly sealed, until ready to use. The vinaigrette will not stay emulsified; be sure to whisk well before using. Makes 1 cup.
© 2008 by Eric Ripert
Nutritional Information
Nutritional information is based on 1/4 teaspoon of added salt per serving.






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