Pacific Kinilaw with wild BC Sea Cucumber

Name: Pacific Kinilaw with wild BC Sea Cucumber
Prep time: 60 min
Ingredients: 5 tbsp coconut vinegar; 2 tbsp calamansi juice; 1 tbsp fresh lime juice; 3 tbsp unsweetened coconut cream; 2 tsp fish sauce; 2 tsp light soy sauce; 1 tbsp fresh ginger juice; 1 small shallot (finely minced); 1 garlic clove (grated); 1 bird's eye chili (seeded and finely diced); 1 tsp light brown sugar; ¼ tsp freshly ground white pepper; ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil; 400 g “frozen cooked” BC sea cucumber (sliced ½ cm thick); 1 cup rehydrated kelp (sliced into thin ribbons); 1 mini cucumber (halved, seeded and thinly sliced); 3-4 radishes (halved and thinly sliced); ½ small red onion (thinly sliced and soaked in ice water); ½ cup fresh mint leaves; Okanagan rainier cherries (pitted and halved); Fresno chili (seeded and cut into rings); BC Salmon roe (Optional); Crispy fried shallots; Micro Cilantro or cilantro leaves

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Pacific Kinilaw with wild BC Sea Cucumber

Kelp, BC cherries, local cucumber, and calamansi-coconut dressing

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Prep Time 1

Course Side Dish

Cuisine Filipino

Servings 8 appetizer portions

Ingredients

For the Kinilaw Dressing

5 tbsp coconut vinegar
2 tbsp calamansi juice
1 tbsp fresh lime juice
3 tbsp unsweetened coconut cream
2 tsp fish sauce
2 tsp light soy sauce
1 tbsp fresh ginger juice
1 small shallot finely minced
1 garlic clove grated
1 bird's eye chili seeded and finely diced
1 tsp light brown sugar
¼ tsp freshly ground white pepper
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

For the Salad

400 g “frozen cooked” BC sea cucumber sliced ½ cm thick
1 cup rehydrated kelp sliced into thin ribbons
1 mini cucumber halved, seeded and thinly sliced
3-4 radishes halved and thinly sliced
½ small red onion thinly sliced and soaked in ice water
½ cup fresh mint leaves

For the Garnish

Okanagan rainier cherries pitted and halved
Fresno chili seeded and cut into rings
BC Salmon roe Optional
Crispy fried shallots
Micro Cilantro or cilantro leaves

Instructions

Make the dressing

Whisk together the coconut vinegar, calamansi juice, coconut milk, fish sauce, soy sauce, ginger juice, shallot, garlic, chili, brown sugar, and white pepper until well combined. Then whisk in the olive oil.
Taste and adjust if needed. The dressing should be bright, lightly tangy, slightly creamy, and balanced with just enough sweetness to round out the acidity.

Prepare the kelp

Rehydrate the dried kelp for 20 minutes or till soften while bringing a pot of water to boil. Blanch the kelp for 1-2 minutes, drain and rinse immediately under cold water. Pat dry and cut into bite-sized ribbons. Save the kelp water for other usage such as stock!

Prepare the sea cucumber

In this recipe we are using the frozen cooked sea cucumbers meaning they were gutted fresh, quickly cooked for 10-15 minutes to the right gelatinous consistency, shocked in ice water, and then flash freezed. Thaw the sea cucumber in the refrigerator overnight. Remove the internal muscle bands. Pro-tip, use a dry towel to help you grip onto the muscle bands because they can be slippery. Once they are off, save them for another dish! Can be stir-fried, added to soups and my favorite, HOT POT!
Rinse the sea cucumber meat briefly in cold water to remove any dirt and slimes. Pat completely dry. Slice into ½ cm thick.

Assemble

In a chilled mixing bowl, combine all the salad components. Add about ½ cup of the dressing and gently toss until everything is lightly coated.
Refrigerate and allow the salad to sit for no more than 10 minutes before serving so the flavours come together while the vegetables stay crisp.

Finish

Transfer to a small bowl or plate and garnish with the halved cherries, a spoonful of BC salmon roe, a few slices of the fresno chili rings, crispy fried shallots, and micro cilantro. I promise you, it’s going to be different and delicious.

Keyword Sea Cucumber