Trying out the specialty restaurants is one of the great pleasures of dining on cruise ships. We recently sailed on the Regent Seven Seas Explorer – it has all-included, all-specialty restaurants.

Chef Enmin Wang at the pan-Asian Pacific Rim on the Regent Seven Seas Explorer was kind enough to share with us the recipe for the healthy, fresh, and delicious Tuna Tartare. He prepares it for us on video, and here's our version of the recipe:

For 2 Appetizer Servings

Step 1:  Prepare Carrot/Ginger Japanese Dressing:

Makes 375-500 mL

  • 250 g (about 3) peeled, chopped carrots
  • 125 g chopped whites of shallots
  • 125 g peeled and sliced fresh ginger
  • 80mL rice vinegar
  • 80 mL canola oil
  • 1 ½ T honey
  • 1 T white miso if desired
  • 1 T sesame oil
  • 1 T Japanese soy sauce
  • 2 T fresh lime juice
  • water as needed for consistency

Tip:  for an even silkier consistency, or if you're worried you don't have a machine that will make a smooth result, cook carrots first. 

Otherwise, put all ingredients in a blender, blend til smooth.  Taste, and add salt, pepper, adjust honey, lime juice, all other seasonings, adding water if desired and necessary for the right consistency.  Put in a squeeze bottle for maximum ease, or a jar.   This step can be done a day or two ahead of using; keep refrigerated. 

This dressing is also delightful on green Japanese salads, and you'll have plenty of leftover to enjoy in other ways.

Step 2: Tuna

  • 150 grams sushi grade tuna, in ½ cm dice

Place in a mixing bowl. 

  • To taste, add approx:
  • ¼ teaspoon sesame oil
  • ½ teaspoon each mirin, Japanese soy sauce
  • ½ teaspoon combined chives and scallions, cut in thin rounds (more or less, to taste)
  • sea salt
  • black pepper

Mix all ingredients. Adjust all seasonings to taste.

Step 3: Plate

On each of two decorative plates:

Create a wide pool of Carrot Ginger Dressing. 

If you have 6.5 cm rings, place the ring in the dressing and gently pack half of the tuna in the ring, pressing gently down.  Remove ring. If you don't have a ring, build a small mound of tuna using two spoons, careful not to disturb the dressing.

Garnish top of tuna with:

  • 2 Tablespoons shallots (cut in rings, fried crispy in advance)
  • 1 T spring onions, green part only, thinly sliced on a long bias

Sprinkle around tuna in the pool of dressing:

  • ½ teaspoon toasted black sesame seeds

Repeat with second plate. Serve immediately (with crisps if you wish) and do not allow to sit at room temperature.

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