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.
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
- 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.
- 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.
- Top chilled soup with warm caramelized grapefruit. Other possible toppings include avocado chunks, sesame seeds, and crushed tortilla chips.
Dining and Cooking