Crispy Phyllo Tuna Rolls with Pickled Vegetables
Chef Marc Orfaly of Pigalle – Boston, MA
Adapted by StarChefs

Wine Pairing:
1999 Jean-Luc Colombo Côtes du Rhône "Les Figuières"

Yield: 4 Servings

Ingredients:

Rolls
• 1 pound sushi-grade tuna loin
• ½ cup aioli (see recipe below)
• 2 Tablespoons sambal (a condiment found in Indonesian and Asian food markets)
• 1 cup fresh spinach, chopped and blanched
• 1 Tablespoon sesame seeds, toasted
• ½ cup fresh scallions, sliced
• ¼ cup sesame oil
• ¼ cup fresh ginger brunoise (ginger that has been chopped and slowly sautéed in butter)
• 1 package phyllo dough
• ½ cup clarified butter

Aioli
• 5 egg yolks
• Juice of 2 Lemons
• 2 cups Grapeseed Oil
• 1 large Idaho potato, boiled, peeled and riced
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Dipping Sauce
• 3 ounces prepared wasabi (paste or from powder)
• Juice of 1 large lemon
• 3 ounces soy sauce
• 2 ounces sesame oil
• 2 ounces grapeseed oil

Method:

For the aioli:
In a food processor combine egg yolks and lemon juice. While mixing, slowly add the grapeseed oil. After the oil has been processed, add the riced potato and blend for one minute until smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste.

For the tuna filling:
On a wooden cutting board, dice the tuna loin into small pieces. If using the chain of the fish, scrape out with a spoon to avoid any sinue. In a large bowl, combine the diced tuna with the aioli and sambal. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Remove any excess water from blanched spinach. In a separate bowl combine the spinach with the sliced scallion, toasted sesame seeds, ginger, and sesame oil. Add salt and pepper to taste.

For the rolls:
On a flat, clean surface lay out 4 layers of the phyllo on top of each other. Cut the layered phyllo into rectangles 4 inches by 6 inches. Using clarified butter and a pastry brush, butter the top of each square. Divide the tuna mixture into 4-ounce portions, and lay out the portions in log shapes on the phyllo rectangles, followed by approximately 1 ounce of spinach mixture. Roll up the phyllo into cigar-like shapes.

In a hot sauté pan add clarified butter and quickly fry one roll on all sides and remove from heat. Slice into 6 pieces and stand up each piece to serve. Garnish each piece with a dollop of dipping sauce, and serve.

For the dipping sauce:
In a blender mix the wasabi, lemon juice, and soy sauce. Slowly add the oils and emulsify until thick. Serve.