Siverado Resort Chef Peter Pahk's Tempura-Fried Cayucos Abalone

TEMPURA FRIED CAYUCOS ABALONE
With a Dashi-Mirin & Sake Dipping Sauce
Serves 6

This recipe comes to us from Chef Peter Pahk from the Silverado Resort in Napa Valley. Silverado Resort has a strong commitment to sustainability. Chef Pahk offered for our "Teach a Man to Fish" Sustainable Seafood event.

Abalone is a sustainability success story, and a warning. At one point in time, abalone stocks were so depleted, all harvesting was stopped. Now responsible farming in the US has enabled the stocks to rebound. Buy only Red, Pink or Green abalone responsibly farmed in the US. Chef Pahk uses Cayucos Abalone.

To see the round up of the other recipe submissions, click here.

Ingredients:

• 12 – 1 oz. piece Abalone steaks
• 1-cup Tempura batter
• 2 cups Panko (Japanese bread crumbs)
• ¼ cup Sesame seeds
• ¼ cup Chopped parsley, washed & squeezed dry
• ½ gallon Peanut oil for frying
• Assorted Micro greens for garnish
• 2 cups Dipping sauce

For the Batter:

• 2 egg Yolks
• 2 cups Ice cold soda water
• 2 cups Sifted cake flour
• Pinch Baking soda
• Pinch Salt & Pepper

Preparation:

Combine egg yolks and soda water until just combined. Add flour, soda, salt and pepper all at once. Stir until just combined – should be very lumpy. Keep chilled until ready to use (make right before service and keep on ice).

For the Dipping Sauce:

• 1 cup Dashi stock
• 1/3 cup Mirin
• 1/3-cup Soy sauce
• ¼ cup Saké
• ½ cup Grated Daikon radish
• 3 tsp. Grated ginger

Combine & serve in 2 – 3 oz. portions.

For the Dashi Stock:

• 1 qt. Cold water
• 1 oz. Konbu (dried kelp)
• 1 oz. Dried Bonito flakes

Bring Konbu and water to a quick boil. Remove Konbu and shock with ¼ cup ice. Add Bonito flakes and bring to boil. Remove from heat immediately, let flakes settle (about 1 minute) and strain through cheesecloth. Chill.

For the Abalone:

Heat oil to 375º. Combine Panko, sesame seeds and parsley in a bowl wide enough to accommodate the abalone steaks.

Set up batter and breadcrumbs next to each other. Dip abalone into batter, drain and pass through breadcrumbs (do not pound or press – a light pass is all you need). Place on sheet paper on top of a sheet pan.

Deep fry for 30 – 40 seconds, turning very gently until golden brown. Drain on elevated meat rack on sheet pan. Assemble two to a plate with a bit of micro greens and dipping sauce.