THE YUMMIEST AHI TUNA ALOHA POKE!

Did you know that one of the last few trips Adam and I took before the pandemic was to The Big Island of Hawaii, Kona? It was an extended family trip that consisted of 13 of us staying at a house we rented for a few weeks over Christmas and it was a BLAST! It wasn’t my first trip to Hawaii but it is where I fell in love and really indulged in authentic Hawaiian Poké for the first time! It’s such a staple Hawaiian dish that you will find amazing Tuna Poké in grocery stores and small family owned stores all over the islands!

If you have never heard of Hawaiian Tuna Poké, it is a traditional Hawaiian raw fish salad that consists of raw tuna (although I have used salmon and it taste just as great) marinated in soy sauce, sesame oil, and onions. Ahi Poké may appear complicated or intimidating to recreate at home but let me assure you it is actually super easy to make Hawaiian Tuna Poké at home as long as you buy sushi grade fish. Unfortunately, not all fish will work for making a Hawaiian Poké recipe at home. Since the fish is not cooked it has to have been ‘flash frozen’ in order to kill any parasites that may exist inside the flesh. Because of this, it’s easier and safer to buy sushi grade fish when making not only this Tuna Poké recipe but any Hawaiian Poké.

In terms of accompaniments, a few essentials include sticky rice, edamame, and sliced carrots but I love eating this Tuna Poké Recipe with avocado, cucumber, a few pieces of nori (dried seaweed), and radishes. Sometimes I’ll even include a little pickled ginger as a little extra salty profile addition to the dish! Alternatively, a simple addition of popular poké sauces can turn this recipe into a Spicy Tuna Poké Recipe like the addition of some spicy mayo (ingredients to which I have included below)! The best part, you can make it as spicy or as mild as you wish and use whatever mayo you have in the fridge (full-fat, light, paleo, etc).

Before you begin, it is vital to note that you must marinate your Ahi Tuna Poké for a minimum of 2 hours prior to eating in order to get the full flavor. The marinade really only takes 10-15 minutes to prepare and is super easy (just combined everything in a bowl). If you are thinking of making this for dinner you may want to start the marinating process first thing in the morning or over your lunch break to ensure it is ready for dinner! Although the best time to eat this Tuna Poké recipe is the same day you marinate it, it will keep in the fridge for up to two days.

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INGREDIENTS:

SERVES 4

- Tuna Poké Marinade -

2 Lbs of Sushi Grade Ahi Tuna
3 TBSP of Soy Sauce
2 TBSP of Sesame Oil
1 TSP of Fresh Ginger - grated
1.5 TSP of Hawaiian Salt
1/2 Cup of Onion - sliced thinly
1 TBSP of Sesame Seeds - toasted
2 TBSP of Macadamian Nuts - toasted and chopped
1 CUP of Green Onion (green parts only) - chopped
1/4 TSP of Chili Pepper

- Accompaniments -

2 CUPS of Steamed Sticky Rice - can be substituted for short grain brown rice for a healthier choice
Dried Seaweed - cut into 2 inch strips
1 CUP of Edamame - steamed and than chilled
Cucumber - thinly sliced
2-3 Radishes - thinly sliced
1 Carrot - shaved
Pickled Ginger

- Poké Sauce - Spicy Mayo can be added to this dish to turn it into a Spicy Ahi Poké recipe

4 TBSP of Mayonnaise
4 TSP of Sriracha - can be altered to your desired spice level

LOVE SEAFOOD? CHECK OUT THESE OTHER RECIPES!

HOW TO MAKE POKÉ:

Using a sharp knife, skin your filet of tuna and cut away any tendon before cutting the remaining meat into 1 inch chunks.

In a large bowl, mix your marinade ingredients together with the tuna very well before wrapping and placing in the fridge to marinate for 2 hours.


30 minutes prior to eating, prep your accompaniments and steam your sticky rice.

When ready, assemble your tuna poke bowl and garnish with a few additional sesame seeds.

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I hope you enjoyed this Tuna Poké recipe with avocado recipe as much as I do. If you have any comments please leave them below and I'll be happy to answer them as soon as I can! Happy eating!!!

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BOSK CHAMPAGNE DINNER AT THE SHANGRI-LA HOTEL FEAT. CHARLES HIEDSIECK

This week I was invited to a champagne tasting and dinner at Bosk Toronto. This refined, modern and, most importantly, delicious restaurant is located in the Shangri-La Hotel in Toronto’s downtown core. Heading into the dinner I had never dined at Bosk even though I have been, on several occasions, to their bar located adjacent the Shangri-La’s newly remodeled lobby. The Bosk bar is a social hot-spot for the Bay Street crowd but during TIFF it was definitely the place to spot some drool worthy celebrities like Ryan Gosling!

The dinner was elegantly set up in the Bosk private dining room – each place setting aligned with champagne glasses a plenty. I knew from the first moment I entered the room that this was going to be a great event. All the champagne for the evening was supplied from the cellars of Charles Heidsieck in France and I was quickly introduced to their cellar master Cyril Brun who led us through a brief history of the champagne house.

For dinner Chef De Cuisine Richard Singh of Bosk restaurant carefully picked four perfectly paired dishes that both stood out in beauty and complimented each champagne.  It was with this delicate and deliberate curation of food and drink that our palettes would soon be sent buzzing with vibrant flavors after each bite. To start of the dinner we had a 'Sunchoke' soup with cranberry turnip and black truffle accompanied by an elegantly assembled bagal lavash and paired perfectly with the Charles Heidsieck Brut – a champagne with a complex and voluptuous nose of fresh brioche and sun drenched fruits.

Next up on our Bosk menu for the evening was scallops with zucchini, chorizo oil, baby fennel and romesco vinaigrette.  This dish was one of my favorite dishes of the entire night. The scallops were cooked to perfection and each bite came with a burst of sweet flavors. It is no wonder that it was paired with the Charles Heidsieck rosé reserve, a champagne with rich warm notes that mimic homemade strawberry jam followed by smaller notes of gingerbread and cinnamon.

For our mains Bosk featured a delicious halibut dish with pommes puree, arrow leaf spinach, glazed chestnuts, samphire and red wine béarnaise. This dish is a fish lovers dream and really rounded out the meal perfectly. To complement the dish it was paired with Chales Heisieck’s 2005 vintage which had a sharp nose of stinky cheese. The funny thing about the nose on this vintage is that I believe it would only be as pungently noticeable when tasted beside other champagnes. If you were not comparing and tasting multiple champagnes you may not pick up on it right away. Another thing to note about this champagne is that the nose is intentional and comes from the aging/fermenting process.

Dessert was melted raclette cheese with oat crumble, sour cherry, celery and walnut! I really enjoyed this dish especially to finish off my Charles Heidsieck 2005 vintage before moving onto the Charles Heidsieck Black de Millenaires 1995 vintage which also contained nose notes of cheese but not as pungent as its 2005 petit frère.  Other notable notes for this champagne were dried and candied fruits which was perfect to finish off the meal.

I knew that the Shangri-La Hotels always offered luxury products and high-end service, but Bosk restaurant can certainly carry the savoir faire of Toronto’s top restaurant all on its own. The only thing that had me all perplexed was why I hadn’t eaten there sooner.

If you would like to make a reservation at Bosk, visit their website HERE

If you would like to learn more about Charles Heidsieck visit their website HERE

TRADITIONAL MEXICAN CEVICHE

I love me some ceviche and I found that discarded avocado skins make a great serving device for dinner parties because they are easy to carry, they wont leak and they are of course biodegradable! Ceviche originally came from Peru but has since evolved and been expanded on with other South American cuisines. One of my favorite styles is typically seen in Mexican cuisines where they use whole white fish and habanero peppers to give it a refreshing and spicy flavor. Enjoy.

Makes 15 Avocado Cups (small servings)

INGREDIENTS:

2lbs of White Fish (Sea Bass works)
8-10 Garlic Cloves (chopped finely)
2 TSP of Salt
1 TSP of Black Pepper
1 Habanero (remove seed and chop finely)
4 TSP of Cilantro (chopped)
20 Limes (juiced)
1 Medium Red Onion (chopped finely)

DIRECTIONS:

Mix all ingredients except the onion in a bowl. Make sure all ingredients are covered in lime juice. Cover and place in fridge and allow to marinate for 2-3 hours.

After the two or three hours add the onion into the mix, place in avocado cups and serve.

 

I hope you enjoyed this recipe as much as I do. If you have any comments please leave them below and I'll be happy to answer them as soon as I can! Happy cooking!!!


 

POUCHED EGGS WITH SMOKED SALMON ON PUMPERNICKEL

I loved eggs Benedict but I feel guilty about all the calories involved especially when on a diet. Choosing to opt out on Hollandaise sauce and switching the type of bread can save you so many calories its unbelievable. Pumpernickel bread is made with coarsely ground rye flour and therefore it has a much lower glycemic load then white bread. That means that when you eat pumpernickel your body which turns carbs in the bread to sugar doesn't have as much carbs to turn to sugar as regular bread which is great if you have diabetes. Salmon is a great source of Omega 3 as well as protein, B vitamins, vitamin D, magnesium and selenium which is essential for daily body functions. Lastly eggs are a great source of protein turning this breakfast into a super healthy option!

INGREDIENTS:

2 Eggs
1 Slice of Pumpernickel bread (Toasted)
50 Grams of Smoked Salmon
Fresh Fruit (optional) - I used cut up cantaloupe

DIRECTIONS:

In a small saute pan add water until half full, cover and bring to a boil.

Once boiling reduce heat to low and once water calms to a simmer crack and gentle drop eggs into the water *

Let eggs cook uncovered for 4-6 minutes depending on your desired level of yoke consistency.

Toast your pumpernickel, place on plate with smoked salmon on top. Garnish plate with your fruit. Once eggs are done add them to the toast on top of the smoked salmon

*its important the water is not boiling like crazy when you put the eggs in

 

I hope you enjoyed this recipe as much as I do. If you have any comments please leave them below and I'll be happy to answer them as soon as I can! Happy cooking!!!

 

SALMON, AVOCADO AND MANGO CEVICHE - GLUTEN FREE

I love Ceviche! Its honestly one of my favorite things and its so refreshing, filling and light at the same time. Its great if you are trying to lose weight! This dish could make a great appetizer for a dinner party or even just a light lunch on its own. You can also switch up the type of fish if salmon isn't your thing. You do you and enjoy! x

Yields two servings

INGREDIENTS:

6oz of Salmon (remove skin and dice into cubes)*
2 Green Onions (thinly sliced)
1 Avocado (cubed)
1 Mango (cubed)
Salt (as desired)
1 TSP of Olive Oil
1-2 TBSP Fresh Lime Juice

*If you place the salmon in the freezer for 10-15 minutes before cubing it will be much easier to cut.

DIRECTIONS:

In a bowl combine cubed salmon with the green onions, salt and olive oil . Mix

Drizzle 1 TSP of lime juice on the cubed avocado (To avoid the avocado from discoloring) and mix it with the mango. Use the rest of the lime juice on the one salmon mixture.

Line a teacup with plastic wrap and add in you salmon mix followed by the mango-avocado mix. . Place in the fridge for 15 minutes so that it helps maintain mold.

Flip teacup onto plate and slowly lift up the teacup. The contents should fall away easily because of the plastic wrap but maintain its form. Remove plastic wrap and enjoy!

I hope you enjoyed this recipe as much as I do. If you have any comments please leave them below and I'll be happy to answer them as soon as I can! Happy cooking!!!