Sea Bream and Eggplant Japanese Tartar
This elegant Japanese tartar combines fresh sea bream with creamy roasted eggplant, aromatic myoga, and ginger for a refined appetizer full of texture and umami.
Sea bream tartar is one of those dishes that feels luxurious, yet comes together surprisingly easily at home. By pairing it with softened eggplant, the natural sweetness and silky texture create a beautiful contrast to the clean flavor of the fish.
The addition of myoga and ginger brightens every bite, while a touch of wasabi and soy sauce ties everything together into a distinctly Japanese style tartar. It is perfect as an appetizer for entertaining or as a special dish to enjoy with sake or white wine.
What you'll need
- 50g sashimi grade sea bream
- 100g eggplant
- 1 myoga ginger
- 1 piece ginger, about 10g
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- A pinch of salt, plus extra for prepping
- Freshly cracked black pepper
- 1 tbsp mayonnaise
- A splash of soy sauce
- 1cm wasabi paste
- Chopped green onion for topping
How to make it
Sprinkle salt on both sides of the sea bream and let it rest for 10 minutes. Pat dry, then dice into small cubes. Peel the eggplant, wrap loosely, and microwave at 600W for 3 minutes until soft.
Cool the eggplant in ice water, drain well, then divide it into two textures by mashing one half into a paste and roughly chopping the other. Finely chop the myoga and ginger.
In a bowl, combine the sea bream, eggplant, myoga, and ginger. Add olive oil, salt, black pepper, mayonnaise, soy sauce, and wasabi. Mix until evenly combined.
Shape the tartar using a ring mold or small ramekin, chill before serving, then finish with extra black pepper and chopped green onion.
Tips
- Salting the sea bream first removes excess moisture and deepens the flavor
- Using two textures of eggplant creates a richer mouthfeel
- This recipe also works beautifully with salmon, horse mackerel, or other white fish