Wrap and Roll
Wraps are perfect for summertime – they require little cooking and pack up easily for boating, picnics and other excursions. Don’t be put off by Christopher Miller’s (no relation) lengthy instructions and ingredients – it’s all quick and easy to do! My recipe has just a few ingredients and has always been a crowd pleaser for me. VS
REFRESHING GRILLED FUSION AHI TUNA WRAP
Christopher Miller
General Manager and Executive Chef
Sake Tumi
714 N. Milwaukee St.
414-224-7253
sake-milwaukee.com
Photos by Lynn Allen
Christopher Miller, General Manager and Executive Chef of Sake Tumi, came into the Asian food market as fresh clay. He had lots of experience with Italian food working for the Bartolotta’s, the Balistrieri’s and Johnny Vassallo, but had to learn the aesthetics of Asian cooking when he moved into his current position. To learn how to wrap and roll the Japanese way, he studied with Ken Sung at Yokaso in Brookfield. Beyond the food, working at Sake Tumi has been a cultural awakening for Miller, who has learned “a whole new way of communicating” with an emphasis on respect for age, gender and hierarchy. It’s a sensibility that will no doubt follow him into his next adventure and beyond.
4 10-inch flour tortillas
1 8 oz. Ahi (yellow fin) tuna steak (#1 plus/sushi grade) (any protein may be substituted)
½ cup cooled prepared rice of choice (long grain, instant, jasmine, etc – leftover take-out is fine!)
½ whole pineapple or 16 oz. can sliced pineapple
2 jalapeño peppers
2 vine-ripened tomatoes
1 small head of iceberg (your favorite, more nutritious variety may be substituted)
1 small sweet onion
10 springs cilantro
1 lime
1 thumb-sized lobe of ginger
¼ cup soy sauce
Salt and pepper
PREP
Clean skin off tuna. Mince ginger and mix with ¼ cup soy sauce. Marinate tuna in mixture for one hour.
While tuna marinates, skin, core and slice pineapple. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
For the lettuce mix, finely shred lettuce and onion and chop cilantro. Mix with lime juice and add zest from lime for extra kick, if you wish. Season with salt and pepper.
(My signature mix: goes good with anything! burgers, tacos, sandwiches etc)
GRILL
Grill tuna rare to medium rare. Slice into thin slices and let cool. Grill pineapple, cut into chunks and let cool.
Grill jalapeños until blackened. Soak in ice water until cool. Peel off skin. Slice in half, clean out seeds and Julienne. (Great technique to add flavor without lots of heat!). Grill tomatoes using same technique.
WRAP
Grill 4 tortillas. Layer with tuna slices. Load with rice, pineapple, jalapeño, tomatoes and lettuce mix. Wrap it up, eat and enjoy! Makes 4 wraps.
MIDWEST MIDEAST WRAPS
Catherine McGarry Miller
Event planner, author, book editor and VITAL columnist
This recipe comes from my love for Mideastern food, which I was introduced to as a ten-year-old by my aunt and uncle. It is part of my cookbook in progress called The Gutless Gourmet.
1 8-oz container prepared hummus, any flavor
8 tortillas or sandwich wraps, any flavor
1 large eggplant, cut in 1/2 inch wide disks, lightly salted and peppered
Olive oil or olive oil-flavored cooking spray
Brush or spray eggplant on both sides with a thin coat of oil and arrange in a single layer on cooking sheets. Bake in a 450-degree oven until tender, about 10 to 15 minutes, then let slices cool.
Spread hummus on wraps about a quarter-inch thick. Layer eggplant slices over hummus, leaving a several inch-strip of wrap for to seal the wrap. Roll ’em up and eat ’em! Makes 8 wraps.
