Maine Uni and Tuna Poke Tostadas

by SoPo Seafood's Jacqueline Clark AKA the Briny Babe

Uni, the Japanese word for “sea urchin,” is kind of like the foie gras of the sea. Although intimidating to some, the key to enjoying uni is the same as with all seafood—freshness is key. If you’ve had a traumatic experience with uni, it’s probably because it was not of utmost freshness. Depending on the variety, diet, and gender, good uni is firm, but melts in your mouth with its rich and creamy sweetness. In fact, it should taste like a luxurious, slightly sweetened butter, with a hint of the sea. This makes it a perfect accompaniment to other types of seafood.

We created some delicious Maine Uni and Tuna Poke Tostadas for a delicious showcase of sweet, spicy, and umami flavors. As with the uni, it is crucial to use sushi-grade tuna to ensure the best experience. Bluefin or Ahi tuna both work well with this recipe. We always add a little dollop of white miso to our poke marinade to incorporate a little kick of umami, but if you aren’t a miso fan, this ingredient can be omitted, and still produce a divine result. Finally, we love garnishing these tostadas with some salmon roe for a dash of color, and a literal pop of savoriness.

Maine Uni and Tuna Poke Tostadas Recipe Video

Facts

• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Marinate Time: 10-15 minutes
• Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

Mango Salsa
• ½ cup verde salsa or aguachile
• 1 lb fresh tuna loin or steak, blue fin, ahi, or bigeye
• 3 TBSP soy sauce
• 2 TBSP sesame oil
• 1 TBSP rice wine vinegar
• 1 TBSP white miso (optional)
• ¼ cup thinly sliced scallions, white and green parts
• Ocean Balance Seaweed Flakes, for seasoning
• 8 corn tortillas, or tostadas
• 8 pieces of sea urchin
• 1 lime, halved
• Sea salt
• Several slices of cucumber, to garnish
• Cilantro, to garnish
• Salmon Roe, to garnish

Cooking Utensils

• A sharp knife
• Small bowl for mixing

Instructions

1. Dampen a kitchen towel and wipe a very sharp knife on both side so it’s clean and also a little wet – this will help it cut through the tuna’s flesh cleanly. Using strong single strokes, cut the fish into 1 ½-inch cubes. Set aside.

2. In a bowl, vigorously whisk together the soy sauce, sesame oil, rice wine vinegar, white miso, and sliced scallions. Fold in the tuna so it’s completely coated. Season with the Ocean Balance Seaweed Flakes. Set the poke aside.

3. Place a layer salsa or aguachile on each tostadas. Add several pieces of tuna poke to each tostada, cucumber, scallions, cilantro, one or two pieces of sea urchin, a sprinkle of Seaweed Flakes, and a squeeze of lime juice. Add a few pieces of salmon roe for a pop of color and smokiness. I like to hit it with a pinch of sea salt at the end!

Buy Fresh Maine Urchin Roe (Uni) Online

This recipe was created using SoPo Seafood's fresh Maine Uni. The Maine Sea Urchin season starts in the fall and ends in the spring. During these cold months, divers harvest Sea Urchin from the sea floor in the Gulf of Maine. These Sea Urchins are then taken to Portland, Maine where they are processed.

Our Uni is available to purchase online for delivery to your door or for pick up at our retail fish market in South Portland.