Mini Tuna Tartare Martinis

Mini Tuna Tartare Martinis

If you are looking for a special appetizer that requires no cooking and looks truly gorgeous when you serve it, this recipe is for you.  Mini Tuna Tartare Martinis are total show stoppers that elicit the “Wow!” response.  Go ahead…strut your stuff!

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Wasabi Tobiko (Caviar)

wasabi tobiko caviar

Wasabi tobiko has a beautiful color and slightly spicy taste. For this recipe, it’s used in the dressing and as a separate layer in the Tuna Tartare Martini assembly.

Wasabi Tobiko Dressing

wasabi tobiko dressing

To make the dressing, combine mustard, vinegar, oil, and wasabi tobiko in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper and whisk lightly until combined. Set aside.

sushi-grade tuna

Buy the freshest and highest quality tuna you can find. It’s the key to this amazing appetizer. Give it the smell test… it should be odorless.

Tuna Tartare Preparation

Dice tuna into small cubes and place in a medium sized bowl. Season with tabasco, chopped chives or scallions, olive oil, salt and pepper to taste. Gently combine. Cover and refrigerate until ready to assemble the martinis.

Osetra Caviar

Oestra Caviar

If celebrating and splurging, use Osetra Caviar as a garnish once Tuna Tartare Martini’s are assembled. Otherwise, garnish with salmon roe (Ikura).

Martini Glasses

I use very small martini glasses for this appetizer (mini martini glass on the left in picture above). But you can use any size martini glass you want but will need to adjust measurements accordingly. You can also use ring molds or other glass shapes for your creation.

Mini Tuna Tartare Martini Assembly

tuna tartare martinis

To assemble martinis, place 1 tablespoon of tuna mixture in the bottom of the martini glass. Next, add some wasabi tobiko (caviar) followed by more tuna tartare on top.  Finish the martini with a thin layer of cream and then garnish with the wasabi tobiko dressing, oestra caviar and/or salmon roe. (See recipe below for more detailed assembly instructions.) Once assembled, The Mini Tuna Tartare Martinis are as beautiful to look at as they are delicious to eat.

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5 from 1 vote

Mini Tuna Tartare Martinis

Prep Time30 minutes
Assembly15 minutes
Total Time45 minutes
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: Asian, Japanese
Keyword: ahi tuna, caviar, creme fraiche, gluten free, salmon roe, sour cream, wasabi tobiko
Servings: 6 servings
Author: GFchow @ gfchow.com

Equipment

  • small martini glasses

Ingredients

Dressing

  • 1/2 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 1/2 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
  • 1/4 cup neutral oil canola or vegetable
  • 1 tablespoon wasabi tobiko (caviar) has a very mild kick to it
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Tartare Mixture

  • ~1/3 cup Sour Cream or Creme Fraiche
  • 1/2 pound sushi grade tuna (ahi tuna) diced
  • 3 dashes Tabasco sauce
  • 1 tablespoon chives or scallions finely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 ounces wasabi tobiko

Garnish

  • 2 ounces osetra caviar optional
  • 1 tablespoon salmon roe optional

Instructions

Dressing

  • To make the dressing, combine the mustard, vinegar, oil, and wasabi tobiko in a small bowl.
  • Season with salt and pepper and whisk lightly until combined.

Tuna Mixture

  • Dice tuna into small cubes and place in a medium sized bowl.
  • Season with tabasco, chopped chives or scallions, olive oil, salt and pepper to taste. Gently combine.
  • Refrigerate tuna until ready to assemble the tuna tartare martinis.

Martini Assembly

  • To make the martinis, place 1 tablespoon of tuna mixture in the bottom of the martini glass and gently pat down.
  • Next, add 1/2 tablespoon of wasabi tobiko (caviar) on top of tuna making sure the caviar is visible on the outside of the glass. Add more if necessary.
  • Then add 1 1/2 tablespoons of tuna on top of the wasabi tobiko. Gently push down on the tuna to flatten out the top.
  • Finish the martini with a thin layer of cream, smooth to cover all of the tuna.
  • Drizzle 1/2 tablespoon of dressing on top of the cream and garnish with a 1/2 teaspoon of oestra caviar and salmon roe, if desired. Serve with small spoons.

Notes

The osetra caviar is a total splurge.  It’s available at gourmet/high-end markets, Whole Foods and online at Marky’s.  I only use osetra caviar for very special occasions such as  New Year’s Eve.  Otherwise, I would omit the osetra and just use salmon roe (ikura).
I buy the wasabi tobiko and salmon roe (ikura) at my local asian market.
If you can’t find wasabi tobiko or salmon roe (ikura) in your area, you can buy it online at Marky’s.
Salmon can be substituted for the tuna OR make one layer tuna and the next layer salmon.  Just be sure the fish is very high quality and from a trusted source.
After assembling the martinis, be sure to keep them refrigerated until ready to serve.
The size of the martini glass used will determine the tuna/wasabi tobiko/cream measurements.  For this recipe I used the smaller glass.  If you use a bigger glass adjust the measurements accordingly.

Recipe found in the Blue Ginger cookbook by Ming Tsai. Recipe modifications made by me.

If you like this recipe, you may also like these other GFchow recipes. Citrus Dill Gravlax, Pan Seared Tuna with Avocado and Soy Lime Dressing, and Gluten Free Bagels and Lox.

GLUTEN FREE DISCLAIMER

The recipes you find here are considered by me to be gluten free.   However, it is up to you to make sure the ingredients you use are gluten free.  Whenever possible, I will list specific brands of ingredients that I use, but always be sure to check the labels yourself to verify the item is gluten free. 



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