Make Your Own Sashimi Board (with Whipped California Avocado Spread)
Thank you, California Avocados, for sponsoring this post!
I think I’ve unlocked the code to effortless entertaining. A few weeks ago we went over to Reuben’s coworker’s house for dinner and they treated us to the most epic spread of fresh, sushi-grade fish and all the fixings! They had a rainbow array of salmon, tuna, raw scallops, mackerel, yellow tail, cucumbers, avocados, and more. It was amazing and I thought it was such a great meal to serve guests because it doesn’t really require much cooking at all! There’s definitely some skill involved when slicing the fish, but other than that it’s a lot of just cooking rice and chopping up veggies. I thought it was brilliant and the meal is also a treat for the host too ☺️
Since then, I’ve been waiting for the perfect time to make a sashimi board of my own. Thankfully, Reuben’s parents have been in town and we had 2 extra people to help us indulge. I stopped by our local Japanese market which has an excellent seafood counter with lots of sushi-grade fish to pick from. I bought some tuna, salmon, yellowtail, and raw scallops. To balance the fish, I also got Japanese pickles (cucumbers, daikon, and ginger), tamago, ikura (salmon roe), and some crunchy snacks (senbei and temperua nor) for some texture.
When I got home I prepped all the fish by slicing them thin (think nigiri portions), steamed some sushi rice, and made a delicious Whipped Avocado Spread with ripe, fresh California Avocados. It literally only takes a minute to make in the food processor and it’s a wonderfully creamy and bright backdrop for all the fresh fish. I’m pretty lucky to live in a place where it’s quite easy to find great sushi-grade fish and California Avocados are in season and readily available spring through summer! Hass avocados are native to California and meticulously cared for and picked at their peak. Make sure your avocados are from California by looking at the label!
What You Need To Make an Amazing Sashimi Platter
California Avocados: They are my favorite avocados and you need them either in spread/dip form or beautifully sliced on the platter for some creamy richness!
Variety of sushi-grade fish and seafood: I like to have at least 3 types of fish for a selection of flavor, texture, and also color. Salmon, tuna, and yellowtail are my favorites. Raw scallops are also delicious! If you have some friends who aren’t as fond of raw fish, you can also get tamago or cooked shrimp for the board as well.
Nori: I cut sheets of seaweed into smaller squares so people can create their own perfect bites with fish and rice.
Sushi Rice: Rinse and then steam short grain sushi rice (I do about 1:1.25 ratio of rice to water). If you want to keep it super easy then skip seasoning the rice! But if you want to season the rice, while it is still hot add a few tablespoons of rice vinegar and mix into the rice.
Japanese Pickles: My fridge is always stocked with containers of Japanese pickles from the Japanese market because I’m obsessed with their tang. They are a welcomed addition to a sashimi platter for that same reason! I get pickled cucumbers, daikon, and ginger.
Senbei/Crunchy Japanese Snacks: Crunchy japanese snacks like rice crackers, tempura fried seaweed, and senbei add an addictive crunch to each bite (if you want it!). I made a little sashimi tostada on a big piece of senbei with a smear of whipped avocado spread, fish and pickles.
Whipped California Avocado Spread
Serves 4
1 ripe, Fresh California Avocado
1 tbsp kewpie mayo
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 tbsp rice wine vinegar
Carefully cut the avocado in half. Remove the seed and peel.
In the bowl of a food processor, combine avocado, kewpie mayo, salt, and rice wine vinegar. Blend until very smooth and airy. Transfer to a shallow bowl and spread into an evenly layer. Serve immediately or cover with plastic wrap (pressing into the spread) and chill in the fridge until ready to serve.