Soy Sauce Marinated Egg Yolks
The sauce is so rich that you don’t need a ton of it. This recipe makes it hard to save leftovers for the next batch of Master Stock!
Soy Sauce Marinated Egg Yolks
The final installation of Demystified: Soy Sauce, raw egg yolks marinated in light soy sauce. This is a delicious topping I like to use for a tartare but you can also use to top things like a bowl of noodles, rice, or salads. The marriage of raw egg yolks and light soy sauce yields a delightful flavor profile and creamy texture when punctured. However, achieving the ideal consistency requires precision; over-marinating risks solidifying the yolk.
Light soy sauce, contrary to its name, boasts the highest salt content among the primary soy sauce types. It serves as a potent seasoning agent, with nearly 65% sodium content. On the other hand, dark soy sauce, containing more water, offers a milder saltiness. Exercise caution when using light soy sauce for seasoning, opt for regular soy sauce as a standard choice, and reserve dark soy sauce primarily for imparting color rather than saltiness.
For the yolks, I decided to make a tomato and watermelon tartare referencing a recipe from the great Spanish chef, Albert Adria, via the Manhattan Food Project. Essentially, seedless watermelon and tomatoes get diced very finely to mimic the texture of cubed filet migon. Then, the veggies are seasoned with some common tartare ingredients like mustard and Worstershire sauce to make it even more similar. The key to making this tartare is to drain as much of the liquid out of the watermelon and tomatoes before combining them with the remaining ingredients so the liquid doesn’t pool on the plate.
Ingredients for the Soy Sauce Marinated Egg Yolks
4 good quality chicken eggs yolks*
1 cup light soy sauce
1/4 cup mirin
Ingredients for the Tomato Tartare
1 pound very ripe tomatoes
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 jalapeno pepper, minced
1 shallot, minced
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon Aleppo pepper
3 ounces watermelon, brunoise
2 pistachios, chopped
1 teaspoon Kosher salt, divided
Extra virgin olive oil, for garnish
Sea salt, for garnish
Thinly sliced garlic chives or scallions, for garnish
Crackers or toasted bread, for serving
*Consume at your own risk! Be sure that you use high quality egg yolks from a local farmer.
Special Equipment
Sieve
Cookie cutter round, 3-4-inches
Slotted spoon
Serves 3-4 people
Directions
To make the soy sauce marinated egg yolks, mix the soy sauce and mirin together in a glass container. Then, gently transfer the egg yolks to the marinade. Cover and allow to sit in the fridge for two hours.
Begin by filling a medium saucepot with water and bringing it to a boil. Using a paring knife, score the bottom of each tomato. Once the water reaches a rolling boil, carefully place the tomatoes into the pot and blanch them for approximately one minute, or until you notice the skin beginning to peel away. Quickly transfer the blanched tomatoes to an ice bath to halt the cooking process. After a few minutes, remove the skin from the tomatoes and set aside the tomato bodies on a dry surface.
Next, halve the tomatoes and carefully removing the seeds and inner membranes. Proceed to dice the tomatoes into small, uniform pieces, akin to a brunoise cut. Place the diced tomatoes into a sieve positioned over a bowl to collect the juices. To aid in water extraction, sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon of Kosher salt over the diced tomatoes. Apply the same process to the diced watermelon.
In a medium bowl, combine the diced watermelon, tomatoes, jalapeños, shallots, pistachios, spices, mustard, and Worcestershire sauce. Toss with a spoon. Taste and adjust seasonings.
Transfer the tartare to a plate that has a cookie cutter on it. Use the cookie cutter to maintain the shape of the tartare. Using a slotted spoon, gently place the egg yolk in the center of the tartare. Garnish with the thinly sliced garlic chives, flakey sea salt, and extra virgin olive oil. Remove the cookie cutter before serving! Enjoy!