> wrote in message
ups.com...
> I think I first had aburi maguro in Osaka back in 1999. It was just one
> of those run of the mill sushi bars in the underground complex by the
> train station (near Daimaru). They recommended it and said it was
> maguro tattaki. It was more like a maguro zuke, seared on the outside.
>
> Later that summer I told one of the itamae's at a sushi restaurant I
> used to frequent, and he claimed he already had that idea for o-toro,
> but never really publicized it (yeah right!). So he called his creation
> o-toro tattaki. Basically taking two slices, flash grilling them, then
> dab some orange minced ginger, negi, and maybe a wee bit of garlic on
> the top, then finally dashing some ponzu over it. The end result was
> amazing and it was a big hit with the patrons. I haven't been back in a
> while, but the chef sometimes comes up with these interesting
> creations.
>
> I've asked a current favorite restaurant's itamae to prepare something
> similar and the results were even more amazing. The caveat is that they
> charge $20 for a pair of otoro, but it is very high quality Spanish
> blue-fin (and bigger pieces than the other place). Instead of throwing
> it on the grill, they master the control of the searing degree by using
> a creme brulee torch. This gives a slightly different flavor, but at
> least the searing is more even on the outside (you can still achieve a
> pink center like a medium rare steak).
> The same restaurant once served lightly seared uni (in gunkan) using
> the same method, and the carmelization really brought out the flavor. I
> think I mentioned a while ago of another chef elsewhere doing the same
> for shirako in gunkan (lightly searing it for the same effect).
>
> Bottom line is that with aburi toro, you really have to ask for it at
> least here. Some will have no clue, and those who never tried serving
> it that way before might stumble. I'd rather leave it in the able hands
> of 2 to 3 of my favorite places, and leave it at that :-).
>
> Btw the creme brulee torch searing/aburi seems to work great with good
> quality shiro maguro, especially bincho (plus ginger + negi + garlic +
> ponzu). :-) Also fantastic with engawa (though a toaster oven can do
> the same job, given the right amount of heat).
>

Wow. I got very hungry reading all this.
I really hope these aburi style sushi catch on here in the US.