Livin’ Life One Tuna Steak at a Time
By Anonymous in Food on Jun 27, 2005 12:58AM
Chicagoist lives dangerously, it’s true. We curse at bus drivers in person, we admonish people who don’t pick up after their dogs, and we eat seared tuna. Seared tuna is not for everyone, but if you like sushi, you are going to love this recipe…if you fear sushi, and prefer your tuna cooked all the way through, you’ll still love this recipe, but more like a person who skydives in tandem.
We find that we prefer keeping fish recipes simple, especially in the summer. Really, who has time to make extensive recipes when we have such a limited time to enjoy the summer month(s)? We picked up a great piece of tuna at L. Isaacson and Stein Fish Company, although we have used frozen tuna from grocery stores when pressed (fresh is better, and you should eat within a day of purchasing!). Marinate in the following mixture, we usually just eyeball it, but for you anal types, here’s the breakdown per two 6 ounce tuna steaks:
In a plastic container, mix:
4T. soy sauce
1 T. sesame oil
1/8-1/4 t. ginger, or a few pieces of fresh ginger if you have (to taste)
Marinate the tuna steaks, turning to coat, about 20 minutes.
Pour 2-3 T. of sesame seeds onto a plate, and place the tuna steaks onto the plate, coating the tops and bottoms.
In a frying pan, place a little bit of oil and heat on medium/med-high. Place the tuna steak and cook on each side from 4-8 minutes. The pan should not be so hot as to burn the oil or seeds, but to create a nice cooked “frame” around the pink of the tuna inside. It also depends how cooked through you want it. If you cook all the way through, keep on medium and put a lid on the pan to help cook. Cut to check doneness, we usually prefer ¼ inch done all around, with a pink center.
Now, since this was such an easy recipe, you get a bonus one, we’re just that nice here at Chicagoist. It’s another easy one, but a good accompaniment to the tuna. Mix raddichio, blue cheese, walnut pieces together in a salad, and warm up your favorite balsamic vinaigrette dressing (we’re partial to Paul Newman’s, is there anything that man can’t do?) in the microwave until hot. Pour over the salad and serve. Easy summer meal that teases your body’s mercury level. And face it, it’s as close as you’ll ever come to being a stunt car driver, no matter what you told everyone at the bar last weekend.