Photography: Penny De Los Santos, Food Styling: Judy Haubert, Prop Styling: Vanessa Vazquez
Gin and tonic—garnished with a lemon slice—was Chef Petonito’s inspiration for this elegant appetizer. Buy the sushi-grade fish from a high-quality supplier or Japanese market; besides being safe to eat raw, fish intended for sushi or sashimi will be cut to a uniform shape with all tiny bones removed.
“Gin and Tonic” Kampachi Crudo
Courtesy Chef Kat Petonito, The Duck & The Peach, Washington, D.C.; Instagram @duckandpeach_dc
Instructions
Mix kosher salt, sugar, citrus zest and juniper berries on a plate using your hands. Add kampachi and cover with the mixture on all sides. Refrigerate for at least one hour and up to four.
When ready to serve, rinse fish in cold water to remove salt mixture, pat dry and slice into 12 equal slices. Mix lemon juice and gin in a small bowl. Layer fish in a “shingle” arrangement with one slice of radish and cucumber between each piece of fish. Drizzle with the lemon-gin mixture, then the olive oil, and sprinkle with a little Maldon salt. Serves 2 to 4 as an appetizer.
Pair With
Kendall-Jackson 2021 Avant Unoaked Chardonnay (California)
You might be tempted to pair this with a wine with pine or rosemary notes that suggest juniper (like Verdejo or Sauvignon Blanc), but instead look for a crisp wine that will round out the edgy flavors here of tart lemon and peppery radish. This unoaked Chardonnay, cold-fermented in steel tanks, is all refreshing fruit flavors of green apple, tangelo and passion fruit.
