Nobu Sashimi Salad with Matsuhisa Dressing
A signature dish from Nobu Matsuhisa that has been on the menu since the original Matsuhisa restaurant opened in Beverly Hills in 1987. The Matsuhisa dressing — a soy-based vinaigrette brightened with rice vinegar, onion, and sesame oil — is the all-purpose sauce that Nobu-san uses at home on everything from chilled tofu to grilled meats. The technique of briefly searing sushi-grade tuna and shocking it in ice water creates the signature pink centre with white-seared edges.
Ingredients (serves 4)
| Ingredient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Sushi-grade tuna fillet | 200 g |
| Mixed salad greens | 60 g |
| Sea salt | a pinch |
| Black pepper, freshly ground | a pinch |
Matsuhisa Dressing
| Ingredient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Onion, finely chopped | 100 g (about 3/4 cup) |
| Soy sauce | 2 tbsp + 2 tsp |
| Rice vinegar | 2 tbsp + 1 tsp |
| Water | 2 tsp |
| Granulated sugar | 1/2 tsp |
| Sea salt | a pinch |
| Powdered mustard | 1/4 tsp |
| Black pepper, freshly ground | a pinch |
| Grapeseed oil | 4 tsp |
| Sesame oil | 4 tsp |
Method
- Prepare the Matsuhisa dressing: combine the onion, rice vinegar, water, sugar, salt, mustard, and pepper in a bowl. Stir until salt and sugar dissolve completely. Add the grapeseed oil and sesame oil and stir to combine. The dressing can be made ahead and refrigerated for up to 3 days.
- Preheat a grill or heavy skillet to very high heat.
- Season the tuna fillet with sea salt and black pepper on all sides.
- Sear the tuna briefly — just until the surface turns white, about 15-20 seconds per side. The interior must remain completely raw.
- Immediately plunge the seared tuna into a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking. Remove after a few seconds and pat dry.
- Pour about 5 tbsp of the Matsuhisa dressing into a shallow serving dish.
- Arrange the salad greens in the centre of the dish.
- Slice the tuna into thin pieces (about 3 mm thick). Roll each slice into a cylinder and arrange in a petal-like pattern around the greens.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
This recipe works equally well with salmon, yellowtail (hamachi), shrimp, lobster, or crab. The non-negotiable requirement is sushi-grade fish. If grapeseed oil is unavailable, substitute with a light olive oil. Nobu-san says his favourite way to use this dressing at home is simply spooned over chilled silken tofu.
Dressing: Ponzu Source: Nobu Matsuhisa / Nobu: The Cookbook