Grilled Abalone
Patty Pan Squash, Nopales, Tomato Salsa Macha, Tomato Water Dashi, Red Pepper Sauce
Chef Felix Santos of Sorrel | San Francisco
Adapted by StarChefs | october 2022
INGREDIENTS:
Tomato Salsa Macha:
Yield: 1 quart
50 grams garlic, sliced into ½-inch slices
20 grams ginger, peeled then sliced into ½-inch slices
500 milliliters grapeseed oil
50 grams toasted white sesame seeds
1 star anise
½ stick cinnamon
100 grams dehydrated cherry tomatoes
100 grams ancho chile, dried and deseeded
25 milliliters lightly toasted sesame oil
Tomato Water Dashi:
Yield: 300 milliliters
500 grams heirloom tomatoes
½ bunch flowering coriander
½ bunch chocolate mint
10 grams salt
3 grams Rishiri kombu
10 grams katsuobushi flakes
Red Pepper Sauce:
Yield: 100 milliliters
500 grams red bell pepper, juiced
Sherry vinegar
Salt
Nopales:
Yield: ¾ cup
Grapeseed oil
200 grams peeled, then finely chopped
20 grams finely chopped garlic
10 grams finely chopped Fresno chiles
Salt
Pattypan Squash:
Yield: 2 servings
2 pattypan squash
To Assemble and Serve:
Yield: 2 servings
1 abalone
METHOD:
For the Tomato Salsa Macha:
In a pan over medium-high heat, combine garlic, ginger, and enough grapeseed oil to coat. Sweat until garlic and ginger begin to brown. Add sesame, anise, and cinnamon and cook until the spices are toasted and aromatic. Add the tomatoes and chile. Continue to cook, tossing frequently, until mixture becomes golden brown. Transfer to a Vitamix blender and add sesame oil and the remaining grapeseed oil. Blend until the mixture reaches a semi-fine texture, similar to a coarse coffee grind. Transfer to a nonreactive container and let cool. Reserve.
For the Tomato Water Dashi:
In a food processor, combine the tomatoes, coriander, chocolate mint, and salt. Blend until roughly combined. Strain through a chinois lined with two layers of cheesecloth, gently pressing the mixture to release the tomato water. In a pot over medium heat, combine the tomato water and kombu. Bring the mixture to 194°F. Remove the kombu and reduce the heat. Continue to heat, tasting frequently, until the raw seaweed flavor has cooked off. Add katsuobushi and remove from heat. Strain and reserve.
For the Red Pepper Sauce:
In a pot over medium heat, combine red pepper juice and 10 grams Tomato Salsa Macha. Reduce until viscous and sweet. Strain and reserve. Add enough Tomato Water Dashi (approximately 160 milliliters) to lighten the viscosity without removing body from the sauce. Season with sherry vinegar and salt.
For the Nopales:
In a pan over medium-high flame, heat grapeseed oil. Add nopales, garlic, and chiles and lightly season with salt. Sauté until the nopales begin to release liquid. Reduce the heat to medium and continue to cook, stirring often, until the mixture is crispy and the nopales have a slight sticky chew. Stir in a spoonful of Tomato Salsa Macha. Drain onto a paper-towel-lined sheet tray. Reserve.
For the Pattypan Squash:
Prepare and heat a grill. Place squash directly over the coals. Grill, frequently rotating, until the skin has charred and the squash has par-cooked. Remove from the coals and gently wipe to remove some of the skin. Cut the squash into ¾-inch slices. Reserve.
To Assemble and Serve:
Prepare and heat a grill. Shuck the abalone. Remove the liver and immediately tenderize, remaining careful not to crack the flesh. It should be as soft as a properly ripened plum. Place the abalone over ice and set aside. In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine Pattypan Squash and Red Pepper Sauce. Heat until warmed through. Remove from heat and set aside. Brush the abalone with Tomato Salsa Macha. Over high flame, grill the abalone flat-side down. Flip and grill until the meat relaxes and lifts up. Slice into ¾-inch pieces. On each serving bowl, arrange the Pattypan Squash and grilled abalone in alternating order. Top with 5 grams Nopales. Surround the Pattypan Squash and abalone with the warm Red Pepper Sauce.
