BLACK LEAF SASHIMI LIBRETTO

You will need:

·Squid ink

·Iceberg or Bibb lettuce

·Sashimi quality, paper-thin slices of raw tuna and salmon

·Dry Sake

·Chives

·Rice

·Soy sauce

·Ground dry ginger

·Sesame oil

·Salt and pepper

Special equipment:

·A sewing needle (thick enough to thread a chive through)

·A thick book.

Method:

Make the sauce first to give it time to cool down. Boil 1 1/2 cups of water mixed with 1/2 cup sake, add 1 cup rice. Return to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer until the rice is very soft and the liquid is greatly reduced, about 25 minutes. Cool slightly.Transfer the mixture to a blender and puree, in batches if necessary, until smooth. The consistency should be similar to a pourable sauce; add more water as needed. Season with salt, pepper, 1 tsp. ground ginger, 3 drops sesame oil, 2 tbsp soy sauce. Adjust to your liking. Refrigerate.

In 2 cups of water, add a few drops of squid ink (enough to turn the water black, but not murky, 1/2 tsp. salt, and 2 tbsp. sake. Warm the mixture gently in a small pan. When it starts to simmer, turn it off to cool.

Cut the lettuce into 2.5” squares - 5 squares per each person.

Immerse the lettuce squares in the warm squid bath for 1 min. Make sure both sides of the squares are separated from each other and completely immersed.

After 1 min., remove the squares and blot them gently, removing as much liquid as you can. They should have darkened considerably - you will have to experiment with different concentrations of the squid ink to get the desired color. 

Spread the squares inside the pages of the book or a leaf press, protected by parchment paper on both sides. Put as much weight as you can over the book and let it rest for at least half hour.

Cut the fish in four 2.5” squares per person, two salmon and two tuna.

Assemble the dish: build a stack of alternating squares of lettuce, salmon, lettuce, tuna, and so on. Thread a chive through the needle and “stitch” the square in one of the sides, forming a libretto. Create 6” diameter puddles of rice sauce in the middle of each plate and set one stack on top of each.