So here it goes..

So I promised I would get caught up on all of my backlogged posts and recipes -- and I am one to make good on my promises. So by the end of the day I swear I will have organized, posted and caught up on everything I have intended to--even if my fingers fall off in the process. Which would be a major shame since tonight I plan on making burgers on these yummy pretzel buns that I found while blog surfing over at My Life as a Mrs. ( totally worth checking out -- I mean really-- this girl is hilarious and has tons of amazing recipes) Anywho-- I guess the best way to start is from the beginning right? That leads me to the seared tuna. Yes seared tuna. I don't know about you but I am huge lover of fish. My first choice is generally salmon-- whether it be in a sushi roll or prepared just about any other way. But James does NOT like salmon. No matter how many different ways I have asked him to try it, his mind is made up. I some how can not wrap my head around this since I think it is the most yummy and versatile fish. Still, every time I come up with some recipe that makes my mouth-water to the point that I think it HAS to be the one to change his mind-- he ever so kindly reminds me that he doesn't care if it is wrapped in gold-- he doesn't like salmon. So salmon is reserved for the nights that he is away on business or when we have sushi. Now tuna on the other hand,  we both share a love for. So when we saw this recipe by Chef Anne Burrell, I knew I wanted to try my own variation and James was right on board.

We started off by marinating the tuna. The longer you let the fish marinade, the more flavorful it is going to be. I think we ended up marinating the fish for about two and a half hours and it was delicious. I didn't use the sambal oelek-- because quite honestly, I have never used it before and couldn't find it in my local supermarket. So instead I substituted one rounded tablespoon of brown sugar, and about a tablespoon of sriracha chili sauce for some added kick. It had some bite, but wasn't overly spicy, you can leave it out if you don't want the added heat. We also seared the tuna in sesame oil rather than the peanut oil the recipe called for, just because I enjoy the flavor more.

 

The end result was super yummy. I decided to put mine over salad of romaine lettuce, cucumber, red onion, portabello  mushrooms and alfalfa sprouts with a ginger vinaigrette, while James had his salad on the side with white rice. Either way we were both very happy at the end of dinner. And so were the dogs and cats. Since I got enough tuna to feed four rather than two, they had a Sunday night feast as well.

I know-- who has it better than them right? Anyways, we were all pretty pleased about how this one turned out. A few minor things to keep in mind for next time-- not buying twice as much tuna as we need, and also letting the pan to heat up a little more so we get that nice sear we were looking for. But I have to say this one is definitely one that we would try again.

Marinated Seared Tuna (adapted from the recipe by Chef Anne Burrell)

1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce
1/4 to 1/2 cup rice wine vinegar
1 rounded tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon sriracha chili sauce ( or less if you don't like the spice)
4 scallions white and green part diced (save some dark green parts for garnish)
2 cloves garlic finely minced or pressed
1 1/2 inches of fresh grated ginger
2 tablespoons sesame or peanut oil
4 - 6 ounce portions of sushi grade Ahi- tuna ( this was enough to feed four)

1. In a small mixing bowl, combine the soy, rice vinegar, brown sugar, chili sauce, white and light green scallions, garlic and ginger. Put tuna in a large gallon sized ziplock bag and cover with marinade. Let sit in the fridge for up to 2 hours, turning the tuna periodically.

2. Remove the tuna from the fridge and let sit in the marinade outside of the fridge for 20 to 30 minutes.

3. When the tuna has come to room temperature, remove it from the marinade. With a paper towel, gently remove some of the excess marinade.

4. Coat a large saute pan with sesame oil and bring it to a VERY high heat. When the pan is VERY hot but not quite smoking, pull the pan off the heat and add the tuna to the pan. Return the pan to the heat and sear the tuna for 1 minute on each side.

5. Remove the tuna from the pan, let rest for 4 to 5 minutes and slice into 1/4 to 1/2-inch thick slices. Sprinkle with the dark green sliced scallion tops.

6. Serve immediately with a little extra soy on the side if desired.