Books For Cooks
It's easy to see why Tetsuya Wakuda has been hailed Australia's finest and most original chef. His food is fresh and clean, yet offers a complexity of flavors that will delight even the most discerning diner. Chef Tetsuya teaches simplicity,
with impressive results"Tetsuya" Tetsuya Wakuda (Ten Speed Press, 2001, hardcover, $35)
By Barbara Burke
Special to the Star-Bulletin
Tetsuya describes his culinary philosophy in a few simple axioms: Ingredients come first. Make simplicity seem like abundance. Don't be afraid of failure. Learning is a discussion with others.
Indeed, Tetsuya's rise to culinary stardom owes much to trial and error and discussing his love of food with others. In 1982, at age 22, Tetsuya left his home in Japan and moved to Australia. With a fondness for food but no professional training, he was hired as a sushi chef in Sydney. Seven years later, he opened his own restaurant, with a single kitchenhand for help. Today, Tetsuya Wakuda is mentioned in the same breath as such notable chefs as Alain Ducasse and Thomas Keller.
Many of Tetsuya's recipes use ingredients readily available in Hawaii. For those calling for exotic ingredients, such as squab or venison, he freely suggests that the home cook make suitable substitutions. Tetsuya believes recipes should be a flexible source of ideas, and adjusted according to the availability of fresh ingredients and the elements of one's taste.
Tetsuya's dishes are definitely not everyday family fare, but are ideal when you want to prepare a show-stopping, upscale meal. Most of the recipes are given in appetizer-sized portions. Quantities may be adjusted upward if you want to serve them as main courses.
The chef recommends serving tuna tartare (a Tetsuya-style poke) with a glass of sauvignon blanc.
Mix together all ingredients. Divide among 4 plates; garnish with shiso and mache leaves. Serves 4.Tartare of Tuna with Goat's Cheese
8 ounces tuna, finely diced
1 pinch white pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon finely chopped anchovies
2 ounces fresh goat cheese, finely chopped
3/4 tablespoon finely chopped chives
1/2 tablespoon mirin
1 pinch sea salt
1 pinch cayenne pepper
1 pinch finely chopped garlic
1/2 teaspoon finely chopped ginger
>> Garnish:
Baby shiso or mint
Mache or baby spinach leavesApproximate nutritional information per serving (without garnish): 160 calories, 9 g total fat, 3 g saturated fat, 30 mg cholesterol, 290 mg sodium, 17 g protein, 1 g carbohydrate.
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