Tuna Tartare with Avocado Ice Cream

This one was really Ray's creation, although we collaborated on the details, the plating is really the star here.

We were trying to recreate an appetizer we have had several times at a local restaurant. One of the ingredients required was bottarga, which we couldn't find, so we substituted in the smoked salmon, roe and ponzu. It was really meant to give a salty component to the dish. And the idea here is to get one perfect bite, of each of the components on the plate. So, this may seem a bit complicated, but it is impressive when it's all done.

Tuna Tartare with Avocado Ice Cream

For the ice cream:
3 medium ripe avocados
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
Pinch of salt

Slice avocados in half, remove pits and scoop out flesh into a blender or food processor. Add remaining ingredients and blend until smooth. Pour into an ice cream maker immediately, and freeze according to instructions. Place in freezer and freeze until firm.

For Sriracha Mayonnaise:
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup sriracha*

Combine these two. We aren't completely sure on the quantity of sriracha, because we "tweaked" along the way, and how spicy you would want this will depend on your palate. This is a very important component to the dish, however, so when you are tasting, if you think it is correct, add just a little extra sriracha and it should be perfect when you serve.

For the salmon and ponzu:
2 tablespoons smoked salmon
1 teaspoon ponzu sauce
Soak the salmon in the ponzu sauce for aa hour before you are ready to plate.

You will also need:
2 tablespoons herring roe
1/2 pound sushi grade ahi tuna, cut into very small pieces
2 fresh basil leaves, cut chiffonade
1 tablespoon scallions, diced small

To plate:

Make a "swish" across the plate of the sriracha mayonnaise. Then, using a ring mold, press the tuna tartare into the mold firmly, and gently remove the mold. Take the avocado ice cream from the freezer, and make a small quenelle, and gently place on the plate. Make a small nest of the smoked salmon, and place a spoonful of the roe beside it. Top the tuna with the basil and scallions. Use the picture above as a reference, or be creative with your own plating.