Tuna Tartare by Chef Ryan Andre’ of Le Creolé

Whenever I’m dining out and looking for fresh Louisiana seafood, the first person I visit is Executive Chef Ryan Andre’.  Andre’ runs the kitchen at Baton Rouge’s Le Creolé, a warm, spacious restaurant off Highland Road that’s been serving bread-less crab cakes and whole grilled fish for the last two years. 

Pictured: Executive Chef Ryan Andre’ of Baton Rouge’s Le Creolé.  Photo by Helana Brigman.  Canon EF 50/mm lens.

Wayne Stabiler owns Le Creolé and the Little Village restaurants, but Andre’ deals firsthand with some of Louisiana’s best seafood purveyors, tracking down what’s fresh, best and always in season.  From here, locally caught Gulf fish show up on both the lunch and dinner menus with $1 martinis during weekday lunches at the bar.  Andre’ regularly updates his menu too, offering Asian-Creole fusions like Lobster Wontons, Cajun Boudin Spring Rolls, and Lobster Potpie as well as seasonal salads and “Nola-Style” meats.  And, you can always find classic Turtle Soup and BBQ Shrimp any day of the week.

Pictured: Rosemary Pear Martini at Le Creolé in Baton Rouge, LA, a beautiful blend of sweet and earthy flavors served with Grey Goose Pear Vodka and homemade Rosemary Simple Syrup.

As a seasonal cook and author, I think a great Baton Rouge restaurant should inspire the ways we cook at home. In a past article, I discussed Andre’s Crab Cake technique as “loving” in which Andre packs circular rings with seasoned crab meat, caramelizes each side and removes the metal ring only at the moment the cake is plated.  I’ve since adopted this technique when I make crab cakes for friends, and there’s an evident difference in quality and structure. 

It’s with great appreciation that I share one of Andre’s easy restaurant-quality recipes you can make at home that’s perfect for summer, Tuna Tartare:

Pictured: Executive Chef Ryan Andre’s Tuna Tartare at Le Creolé in Baton Rouge, LA.

For those familiar with Steak Tartare, Andre’s Tuna Tartare is a departure from the French classic prepared during my mother’s culinary school days. Instead of raw steak, egg, and tartar sauce on the side, Andre’s dish is a lighter combination of ingredients without the high-fat or caloric heft. The recipe features sushi-grade tuna and spicy micro greens, ditching the tartar sauce and focusing on a simple blend of spices. The recipe makes a clearly healthful variation that’s lighter and quick to prepare.

By featuring tuna instead of steak, a simple blended egg yolk is all the sauce the fish needs. At Le Creolé, Andre’ uses duck eggs, but an everyday farm fresh egg will do (organic if you have it). Simply drizzle the beaten egg yolk across your serving dish and spread the tuna on top. Finish the recipe with a blend of cumin, ginger and cayenne for a subtle spice that doesn’t mask the tuna.

For a restaurant-quality dinner at home that’s light and innovative, try Andre’s recipe for Tuna Tartare ($1 martinis and friendly service not included). For that, you’ll have to visit Andre’.

Tuna Tartare

Recipe courtesy of Executive Chef Ryan Andre’ of Le Creolé

Servings: 2 

Ingredients:

* 6-ounces fresh Ahi tuna, sushi grade

* 1 tablespoon white balsamic vinegar

* 2 teaspoons olive oil

* ½ teaspoon salt

* 3-ounces spicy micro greens

* ½ teaspoon small diced red onion

* egg yolk, blended

* 6 pieces toasted French bread

—Tuna Seasoning—

* 1 teaspoon cumin

* 1 teaspoon ground ginger

* 3 teaspoons salt

* ½ teaspoon cayenne

* 1 teaspoon black pepper

1.) Cut tuna into ¼-inch by ¼-inch cubes and add to a mixing bowl. Toss gently with balsamic vinegar, olive oil, red onion and salt.*

2.) To plate, drizzle blended egg yolk across serving dish and dress with tuna mixture.  Spread micro greens across the surface of the Tuna Tartare and sprinkle with tuna seasoning.  Serve with toasted French bread.

*Andre’ Notes: fish mixture may be refrigerated until needed, but immediate use is preferred.

–Helana

—

Twitter: https://twitter.com/DancesWLobsters

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Clearly-Delicious/103136413059101

Tumblr: http://clearlydelicious.tumblr.com/

Instagram: http://instagram.com/helanabrigman 

Tuna Tartare by Chef Ryan Andre' of Le Creolé, 4.8 out of 5 based on 4 ratings Google+