Fresh, light, and full of bold flavors, these lettuce wraps are a perfect balance of healthy eating and vibrant taste. This recipe was featured in the From Market to Table cooking demonstration by Chef DJ Zack of H & H Fresh Fish Company, highlighting the quality of locally caught Bluefin tuna. The star of the dish is jeow som, a classic Laotian sweet-and-sour dipping sauce made with chilies, garlic, lime, and fish sauce. Paired with quick-pickled onions, tender seared tuna, and crisp lettuce leaves, these wraps make a refreshing appetizer or a satisfying light meal. Finished with microgreens, scallions, and a pop of tobiko, they’re as beautiful to serve as they are delicious to eat.
INGREDIENTS:
Tuna
8 oz. Bluefin tuna
1 teaspoon olive or sesame oil
salt to taste
Pickled Onions
Red onions, thinly sliced
Lime juice
Jeow Som Sauce
3 chilies (thai, birdseye, or serrano)
6 garlic cloves
1 tablespoon raw sugar
Juice of 3-4 limes
5-6 sprigs of cilantro
2 tablespoons fish sauce
Garnish/Plating
Microgreens
Scallions
Little gem lettuce or lettuce of choice (butter, romaine)
Tobiko
METHOD:
Make the sauce: In a mortar and pestle or small blender, grind the chilies, garlic, and sugar into a smooth paste. Add fish sauce, lime juice, and chopped cilantro (including stems). Stir until well combined.
Pickle the onions: Slice the red onions paper thin. Toss with lime juice and set aside to lightly pickle.
Sear the tuna: Pat tuna dry and season lightly with salt. Heat oil in a small saucepan over high until just smoking. Sear the tuna for about 1 minute per side, allowing a thin cooked edge to form while keeping the center pink. Remove from heat, let rest for a few minutes, then slice across the grain.
Assemble wraps: Place lettuce leaves on a platter and fill each with slices of tuna. Top with pickled onions, microgreens, scallions, a drizzle of jeow som sauce, and a pinch of tobiko. Serve immediately.
SOURCE: Recipe courtesy of Chef DJ Zack, H & H Fresh Fish Company.
