Seared Encrusted Tuna - HELP!

[ChefGeoff]

This is half a simple recipe, but I was hoping for help with the other half!

Basically, I want a sesame encrusted ahi tuna filet seared and sliced, served with butter lettuce, julienned carrots, and roasted red peppers. Here's how I think it should be done - what do you think?

Brush the fish with olive oil and press in/dredge in sesame seeds. In a fry pan on med-high, take one tblspns of olive oil and sear tuna. Let rest for 5 min, slice, and serve.

Here's what I think it's missing:

Is my pan too hot/ am I using a good type of fat to cook with?
Is this a good method of adhering the sesame seeds to the tuna?
What sort of sauce would go well? I was thinking something like a soy ginger sauce?

Thanks for all your help!!!!

[marmalady]

Originally Posted by ChefGeoff

This is half a simple recipe, but I was hoping for help with the other half!

Basically, I want a sesame encrusted ahi tuna filet seared and sliced, served with butter lettuce, julienned carrots, and roasted red peppers. Here's how I think it should be done - what do you think?

Brush the fish with olive oil and press in/dredge in sesame seeds. In a fry pan on med-high, take one tblspns of olive oil and sear tuna. Let rest for 5 min, slice, and serve.

Here's what I think it's missing:

Is my pan too hot/ am I using a good type of fat to cook with?
Is this a good method of adhering the sesame seeds to the tuna?
What sort of sauce would go well? I was thinking something like a soy ginger sauce?

Thanks for all your help!!!!

Your pan heat is fine; olive oil is more than fine!

I think you may need to more than 'brush' the tuna to get the sesame seeds to stick. Use a little more oil, or mix together a little honey with the oil.

Soy ginger sauce is fine. This one's also fun:

PONZU DIPPING SAUCE
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
3/4 cup + 2T fresh orange juice
2T sesame oil
2T mirin
2T rice vinegar
¼ cup soy sauce
½ T hot chile sauce
3T minced ginger
5-6 scallions,thinly sliced

Mix all together; serve with egg rolls, gyozas, fried wonton,etc.

[ChefGeoff]

Originally Posted by marmalady

Your pan heat is fine; olive oil is more than fine!

I think you may need to more than 'brush' the tuna to get the sesame seeds to stick. Use a little more oil, or mix together a little honey with the oil.

Soy ginger sauce is fine. This one's also fun:

PONZU DIPPING SAUCE

¼ cup fresh lemon juice
3/4 cup + 2T fresh orange juice
2T sesame oil
2T mirin
2T rice vinegar
¼ cup soy sauce
½ T hot chile sauce
3T minced ginger
5-6 scallions,thinly sliced

Mix all together; serve with egg rolls, gyozas, fried wonton,etc.

Sounds TERRIFIC! And good suggestion about the honey - I will try that with a little more oil.

Sauce sounds like a good one - but what is mirin? Never heard of it!

Thanks so much!

[ironchef]

Don't brush the tuna with oil, just press it into the sesame seeds. When you sear it, the seeds willl start to crackle and cause the cooking fat to splatter and you don't need the extra oil on the tuna to fascilitate that. Canola oil or clarified butter would be the best fat to sear it with because the flavor will be neutral with the sesame and the tuna. Olive oil and sesame could have conflicting flavors, which may or may not be as prevalent depending on the type of sauce you're using.

The two sauces suggested are fine, but I would change your choice of vegetables to serve with it. Cucumber, daikon, pea shoots, radish sprouts, sauteed or thinly sliced raw Japanese mushrooms, micro greens, etc. would taste best with the tuna. Do you know how to make a beurre blanc? You can make a bunch of butter sauces that will compliment the tuna as well. Store bought kabayaki sauce will also go well with it.

Mirin is a sweet cooking "wine" that has had the alcohol removed from it. Most people get confused and don't want to use it if they have any aversion to alcohol in their cooking, because they think that it is like using sake.

[ChefGeoff]

Originally Posted by ironchef

Don't brush the tuna with oil, just press it into the sesame seeds. When you sear it, the seeds willl start to crackle and cause the cooking fat to splatter and you don't need the extra oil on the tuna to fascilitate that. Canola oil or clarified butter would be the best fat to sear it with because the flavor will be neutral with the sesame and the tuna. Olive oil and sesame could have conflicting flavors, which may or may not be as prevalent depending on the type of sauce you're using.

The two sauces suggested are fine, but I would change your choice of vegetables to serve with it. Cucumber, daikon, pea shoots, radish sprouts, sauteed or thinly sliced raw Japanese mushrooms, micro greens, etc. would taste best with the tuna. Do you know how to make a beurre blanc? You can make a bunch of butter sauces that will compliment the tuna as well. Store bought kabayaki sauce will also go well with it.

wow, thank you for the heads up...on both accounts. The veggie changes are a great idea! I do not know how to make a beurre blanc. at this point maybe I better concentrate on the tuna and do a store bought sauce! When I perfect the tuna, I can work on the sauce.

G