Spicy Sesame Seared Tuna

Summer is coming whether you cut back on the carbs or not. It's not easy being food-obsessed and still having to fathom the idea of bikini season. It makes me a tad nauseous just writing about it. 

[pause for another sip of wine.... drowning (drinking?) in (away?) my sorrows]

Oh If only I was born with an over-active thyroid.

In all honesty, one of the best parts about being a chef is understanding balance and nutrition and how to make things taste good while still being good for you. 

 Lighten dinner up with this fabulous (and so-simple-you-could-do-it-blindfolded) seared tuna recipe. 

Spicy Sesame Seared Tuna

Serves 2

Ingredients

8 oz Bluefin Tuna (Maguro)

2 T Black Sesame Seeds, Toasted

2 T Sesame Seeds, Toasted

2 t Smoked Paprika

 1 t Cayenne Pepper

1 t Coriander

1 t Sea Salt

1 T olive oil

1 t toasted sesame oil

Method

1. Keep tuna steak whole. Mix seasonings and seeds together and pour onto plate or other flat surface. Roll tuna carefully (pressing gently) in spice mixture until completely coated on all sides.

2. Pour both oils into a heated nonstick saucepan. Once the oil starts "dancing" in the pan, gently place the tuna into the pan and sear for about 1 minute per side.

3. Place seared tuna on plate and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or until completely chilled. 

4. Slice tuna (make sure your knife is sharp!) and serve with Ponzu Sauce (Kikkoman sells a great store-bought version or you can add fresh citrus and ginger to some soy sauce), Sriracha (optional), fresh avocado, pickled ginger (optional) and cucumber salad (recipe below).

Pickled Cucumber Salad

Serves 2

Ingredients

1 English Cucumber, seeded (or 3 Japanese cucumbers)

4 T rice wine vinegar

2 T sugar

2 t sea salt

2 drops soy sauce

Pinch of toasted sesame seeds

Method

1. After using a spoon to remove cucumber seeds slice super thin (a mandoline comes in handy here)

2. Mix all ingredients (minus the cucumber) in a bowl with a whisk until the sugar is dissolved. 

3. Toss cucumbers into mixture. Refrigerate for at least one hour before serving.