After discovering a few recipes for seared tuna recently, which are strikingly similar in cooking method but different in serving, I decided to try my hand at my own variation.

There is nothing like a good slab of ahi tuna, seared just right – as in rare. It’s a delicious and firm fish.

I used some of the sesame soy dressing I made the other day and served the tuna on a bed of romaine and avocado. Delicious. Simple. Quick. Easy. And healthy too . . . can’t forget that this is healthy.

This recipe for one is easily multiplied for however many guests you have and makes for an elegant and delicious meal . . . I just wish I wiped this plate before digging in! Ooops.

Seared Tuna with Sesame Soy Dressing

Yield: 1 serving

Ingredients

2 cups romaine lettuce, washed
1/2 avocado, sliced
1 tuna steak
olive oil
salt
pepper
sesame soy dressing

Instructions

Preheat a cast iron griddle on medium heat.
Arrange the lettuce and avocado slices on a plate.
Wash the tuna steak and rub each side with olive oil, salt and pepper. Cook on the preheated griddle for 3 minutes per side. Use tongs to hold the steak up to brown the edges (for about 30 seconds per edge).
Slice the steaks and arrange on the salad. Drizzle with sesame soy dressing.
Serve immediately.

akaijen

Friday 2nd of March 2007

I'm sure I read about the tuna in The Economist a couple weeks back in an article about how the Japanese (who looove tuna) are cutting back. Unfortunately, their Web site is only open to subscribers.

I've been working on variations of a slow roasted salmon that I cribbed from The Improvisational Cook (cook in oven slowly on low heat), which seems to lend itself to light seasonings to bring out the natural flavor of the fish. I picked up a French cookbook awhile back that has a recipe for a light, chunky tomato sauce that goes really well with the salmon if you use traditional French seasons (chervil and whatnot), but my tried and true is soy sauce, sesame oil with some toasted sesame seeds. My husband is a fan of the mustard cream sauce, which he makes up each time so I have no idea how to recreate it. ;)

We recently went for a weekend down in Paris, where I'm always impressed with how tasty and simple French food is. I had really nice, lightly seasoned salmon that was always featured with an amazing vegetable side. What the French can do with veggies! So, I've been working on that lately.

Sarah Caron

I hadn't read that! That stinks in so many ways. I haven't seen a problem getting tuna here in the US yet, but I am sure we will soon be facing similar issues with the stocks if there is a shortage.

I'll be playing with a bit of salmon tonight. I am not sure what to do with it yet though. Any thoughts?

Thursday 1st of March 2007

We make seared tuna on a bed of salad all the time. Sometimes we go Mexican, other times more Mediteranean, and even Asiany like you suggest. Lately I've been exploring flavored oils and vinegars, from reading The Improvisational Cook and am keen to experiment with different flavors.

Unfortunately, I recently read that tuna stocks have crashed. In fact, our local grocery store here in Holland hasn't carried tuna in well over a month. We pulled tuna off the menu in the hopes that our little contribution well help to ultimately bring the fish back.

So, we play with good ole salmon and tilapia, but it's not the same.