Ingredients

• 1 Japanese or cello cucumber, fluted and thinly sliced in 1/8-inch rounds
• 1 pound sushi grade yellowfin tuna, blue fin or big eye tuna, cut into 1/4-inch dice
• Vinaigrette, recipe follows
• 1/3 cup thinly sliced scallions, white part only
• 3 Shiso leaves, cut into chiffonade
• Coarse salt
• Freshly ground white pepper
• Herb Salad, recipe follows
• Croutons, recipe follows
• 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon grape seed oil or canola oil
• 3 tablespoons ginger juice (grate 4 ounces ginger and squeeze out the juice)
• 1 clove garlic, finely minced
• 5 tablespoons lime juice
• 1 shallot, finely minced
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
• 1 bunch chervil
• 1/2 bunch flat-leaf parsley
• 1/2 bunch cilantro
• 1 bunch chives
• 1 small head baby frisee lettuce
• 1/2 cup micro greens, optional
• 1 thin baguette
• Extra-virgin olive oil

Instructions

1. Special equipment: 1 ring mold, 3 inches in diameter, 1 1/2 inches deep
2. Place ring mold in the center of a chilled 12-inch dinner plate. Make a circle of overlapping cucumbers around each mold.
3. Put tuna in a mixing bowl and add 8 tablespoons of vinaigrette, scallions, and Shiso. Mix to combine. Season with salt and freshly ground white pepper, to taste. Spoon tartare into mold, pressing lightly. Stand 3 croutons into tuna and top with a little herb salad. Carefully lift ring mold up and off the plate. Serve with extra croutons on the side.
4. Put all ingredients in a medium bowl and whisk to combine. Taste to check acidity, and balance with more oil or lemon juice, as needed. Set aside until ready to use.
5. Wash and dry all of the greens and herbs. Pick the leaves off the chervil, parsley and cilantro and put in a large bowl. Cut chives into 1-inch batons and add to bowl. Pick through frisee and add to bowl with micro greens. Toss gently. Refrigerate until ready to serve, and then toss with 3 tablespoons vinaigrette.
6. Yield: 2 cups herb salad
7. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
8. Cut baguette on severe bias to create 1/4-inch elliptical slices. Put bread slices on a baking sheet and lightly toast. Remove from heat and then drizzle with olive oil. Set aside until ready to assemble.
9. Yield: 18 croutons