Serves 4 as an appetizer
Ingredients:
11/2 cups white wine vinegar
2 tsp. coarsely ground black pepper
1/3 cup sugar
2 tbsp. Kosher salt
Pinch crushed red chili flakes
1 cup celery batons
2 celery ribs, washed, peeled and sliced thin on a slight bias
1/4 cup yellow celery leaves, washed
2 cups washed and picked frisée
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp. piment d’espelette
12 oz. kampachi sashimi
4 red pearl onions, peeled and shaved thin on mandolin, rings separated
4 thin slices capicola, julienne
4 tsp. black lava salt
Procedure:
First, pickle the celery batons.
Heat together the vinegar, black pepper, sugar, salt, and chili flakes just until it comes to a simmer. Lay the celery batons into a flat container and pour the hot pickling liquid over. Cover with plastic film and let stand at room temperature until cool. Transfer to a refrigerator to chill through. This can be done up to two days before making the dish.
Toss the sliced fresh celery, yellow celery leaves, and frisée together with just enough of the olive oil to coat (save remaining to finish the dishes with), the piment d’espelette and just a touch of salt.
Lay the salad out in long lines onto chilled plates. Thinly slice the sashimi and lay over the salads. Scatter the pearl onion rings, capicola, pickled celery batons, and black lava salt over the sashimi in turn.
Finish the presentation with a liberal drizzling of olive oil over each.
Recipe Author: Executive Chef Tony Aiazzi
Photo By: Executive Chef Tony Aiazzi/Aureole Restaurant
Restaurant: Aureole Restaurant, 34 East 61st Street, New York, NY, USA
Source: http://www.joniaveni.com/images/Celebrity%20Chef%20Recipes.pdf