Why not try something completely different this year? Celebrate Valentine's Day with an array of exotic flavors and spices with an Asian Menu. Start your Asian Seduction Meal by serving two cups of hot Saki, or 2 glasses of chilled premium Saki served with thin cucumber slices. The aromatic scent of cucumber takes a simple Saki drink to another level. Pair this refreshing cocktail with a bowl of steamed edamame sprinkled with your favorite fine sea salt as you enjoy the sexy, sounds of Putumayo's Asian Lounge and Hotel Costes #11 CDs. All of which will put you in the right mood for the main courses and a refreshing ending of green tea ice cream. You can purchase the edamame and green tea ice-cream at most gourmet grocers or your local Japenese restaurant.

Spicy Tuna Tartar
Potato Chip Garnish

• 1 medium size sweet potato or white potato

1. Using a mandolin so you can get really thin slices, cut a few slices from the center of the potato to yield 4-6 nice size round slice.
2. Heat olive oil in a cast iron skillet under high heat. When hot, turn to medium high and cook the potato slices until golden brown.
3. Turn over and cook other side. When the potato has turned into a beautifully crispy potato chip, remove from the skillet and place on a cookie rack, letting it air dry on all sides.
4. Place a napkin under the chips to catch the oil. 
   

Dipping sauce

• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 2-3 tablespoons of Yuzu
• pinch of red hot pepper flakes
• 1/2 teaspoon of sake

1. Mix all ingredients together. Set aside

Spicy Tuna Tartare

• 1/2 lb of sushi grade Ahi tuna
• Thai chili sauce
• Small bit of soy based Japanese Mayonnaise

1. Chop tuna, using the double cleaver method or a good chef's knife.
2. Cut tuna into 1/8 inch cubes. Do not cut into a paste, we are looking for little chunks.
3. Add the Thai sauce and Japanese mayonnaise; mix well.
4. Plating the dish: Take the dipping sauce and skim coat your serving dish. Place a mound of tuna tartare in the center of the plate; add micro greens (bean sprouts) as a garnish on the side, and top tuna with a strategically placed potato chip.

Seared Tuna and Soba
They key to this dish is in the timing. Measure and prepare all ingredients and set before you "mis en place" to keep things moving along. There are three parts to assemble--the Dashi broth, the soba noodles and the seared tuna.

Broth (Dashi, or Japanese Fish Broth)

• 1 cup of water
• 3 - 4 pieces of Dashi Kombu (kelp) used only for flavor and then removed
• 1/2 cup Bonito flakes
• 1 cup of sake

1. Dashi is a broth and a staple used in many Japanese dishes. To make the broth, mix together the water, kombu and bonito flakes in a medium pot.
2. Bring broth to a boil over medium heat and cook until the volume is reduced in half; 10 - 15 minutes, remove from heat. Avoid boiling with kelp, and don't let the bonito flakes steep for too long --both could result in bitterness.
3. Strain the broth through a sieve to remove food parts, discard.
4. Place liquid back in pot, while still warm, add sake. Keep broth warm over super low heat.
5. Next prepare the noodles.

Soba noodles

• 1 package of soba noodles
• I prefer wild yam or lotus root for the added flavor they impart

1. Cook as directed, be sure not to over cook

Prepare the Tuna

• 1 lb sushi grade Ahi Tuna (I get mine at Wild Edibles)
• Chinese 5 Spice
• Chili Powder
• Salt and Pepper
• Micro-greens/sprouts for taste and garnish

1. Make a Rub by mixing together a pinch or two of Chinese 5 Spice, Chili powder, black pepper, a very little bit of salt. Prepare enough to coat the piece of fish on each side.
2. Rub olive oil over entire tuna and coat all sides of the tuna with the rub.
3. Place cast iron skillet over high heat--we will sear the tuna. Do not put anything in the skillet; just get it nice and hot.
4. Turn down the heat to medium and place fish in skillet. Tuna and salmon have built in thermometers in that you can see how the fish is prepared by watching the white cooked fish rise from the heat up. We preferred seared tuna for this dish, but you can cook this to your preference.
5. Cook fish 2-4 minutes on all sides.
6. When cooked to your liking, remove from skillet and place on cutting board.
7. With a very sharp carving knife cut the fish across the grain in thin slices--the thinner the better.
8. Plating the dish: This works best in a dish that has a little depth (see photo).
9. Place noodles in the center of the dish; go for the sculptural effect you often find in restaurants by placing the noodles in the dish with some height.
10. Ladle about 1/2 cup of the broth over the noodles. The idea is not to completely cover the noodles in broth so measure the broth based on the serving dish you are using.
11. Place thinly sliced tuna over the noodles and garnish with micro greens (bean sprouts)

Pour two cups of sake and Bonsai!