I wanted my wasabi trio to consist of three distinct elements, all with wasabi as a primary flavor, that complemented and enhanced one another. They would be served together, so that a bite of one could be followed by a bite of another to a positive effect. Running down my list of ingredients, I chose several that seemed to all work together: wasabi (duh), avocado, grapefruit, ginger, and apple. Beyond the flavors needing to combine well, I wanted the three dishes to vary in temperature and texture, as well as in visual presentation. My original menu? Chilled avocado-wasabi soup with caramelized grapefruit, wasabi-potato latkes with fuji-ginger sour cream, and wasabi cupcakes with a grapefruit buttercream. Since the challenge only called for one recipe, however, I decided to make all three and only submit the one that turned out the best.

Wasabi Trio

Wasabi Trio

Wasabi Trio

Wasabi Trio

Chilled Avocado-Wasabi Soup with Caramelized Grapefruit

Serves 1-2.

  • 1 avocado, peeled and pitted
  • ½ c. buttermilk
  • ½ c. water
  • 1 tsp. fresh Daruma wasabi, finely grated
  • 2 tsp. lime juice
  • Pinch of sea salt
  • ¼ grapefruit, cut into ½ in. chunks
  • ¼ c. sugar
  1. In a food processor or blender, blend the avocado, buttermilk, water, wasabi, and lime juice until smooth.  Add more water if consistency is too thick.  Pour into a bowl, and season very gently with sea salt.  Store in fridge until ready to eat.
  2. Add sugar to a frying pan on medium-high heat.  Stir sugar gently as it melts.  When all sugar is liquid, add grapefruit segments, and allow to cook in sugar for 2 minutes, then gently flip and caramelize the other side.  Grapefruit will take on a light, golden tinge.  Caramelize in batches if necessary – overcrowding the pan will not allow the grapefruit to caramelize properly.
  3. Top chilled soup with warm caramelized grapefruit.  Other possible toppings include avocado chunks, sesame seeds, and crushed tortilla chips.

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