salmon belly amuse bouche, sujiki, fried thai basil, lemongrass oil

ingredients:

sashimi grade salmon belly
sujiki- fresh salmon roe marinaded quickly in sake and soy sauce (or ikura will do)
thai basil
lemongrass stalk
lime ponzu
grapeseed oil
shichimi

directions:

1.  using a mortar and pestle - if you don't have one, use a bowl and the end of a rolling pin - mash up
chopped lemon grass stalk.  marinade lemongrass mashings in grapeseed oil and set aside.

2.  heat up oil in a small saucepan.  fry basil leaves one by one and set aside. careful- the oil really pops when you do this so have an oil mesh screen available.

3.  slice salmon into 1 cm thick slices. strain lemongrass oil.

plating:

1.  get your mise en place ready: salmon, sujiki, fried thai basil, lemongrass oil, lime ponzu, and shichimi.

2.  place salmon on a plate.  top with some sujiki, then top with fried basil leaf.  spoon lime ponzu around
each salmon piece and lightly drizzle lemongrass oil over it. sprinkle with a light dusting of the shichimi
and serve immediately.