Seared Tuna & Soba Noodle Bowl

Name: Seared Tuna &amp; Soba Noodle Bowl
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Asian
Ingredients: 1/2 lb. (250 g) daikon radish, peeled and thinly sliced on a mandoline; 1/2 cup (4 fl. oz./125 ml) white vinegar; 1/2 cup (4 fl. oz./125 ml) water; 1/2 cup (3 1/2 oz./100 g) sugar; Kosher salt; 1/2 cup (4 fl. oz./125 ml) mayonnaise; 3 Tbs. tamari; 2 1/2 Tbs. rice vinegar; 2 Tbs. toasted sesame oil; 1 Tbs. plus 1 tsp. honey; 2 tsp. wasabi paste; 1 tsp. peeled and grated fresh ginger; Kosher salt; 3 Tbs. sesame seeds (black and white); 1 tsp. onion powder; 1 tsp. sugar; Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper; 1 tsp. tamari; 1/2 lb. (250 g) sushi-grade tuna or salmon, patted dry; 2 Tbs. avocado oil; 2 bundles soba noodles, each 3 oz. (90 g); 1 Tbs. toasted sesame oil; 1 small bunch watercress or daikon radish shoots; 1 small watermelon radish, peeled and thinly sliced on a mandoline; 2 Persian cucumbers, thinly sliced lengthwise on a mandoline

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Servings: 4

This Japanese-inspired dish makes a striking presentation and tastes as good as it looks. Filled with contrasting flavors and textures, it features crisp pickled daikon radish, peppery watercress, crunchy cucumbers and seared tuna coated with black and white sesame seeds. Everything is served atop a tangle of earthy, nutty-tasting soba noodles tossed with a dressing that includes tamari, wasabi and fresh ginger. You can do much of the work in advance, including pickling the daikon and whisking the dressing together. All that’s left to do is coat the tuna with the sesame seed mixture and give the fish a quick sear, then cook and dress the soba noodles. Serve everything on a platter or plate, as shown in the photo, or in a large bowl if you prefer.

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Ingredients:

For the pickled daikon:

1/2 lb. (250 g) daikon radish, peeled and thinly sliced on a mandoline
1/2 cup (4 fl. oz./125 ml) white vinegar
1/2 cup (4 fl. oz./125 ml) water
1/2 cup (3 1/2 oz./100 g) sugar
Kosher salt

For the dressing:

1/2 cup (4 fl. oz./125 ml) mayonnaise
3 Tbs. tamari
2 1/2 Tbs. rice vinegar
2 Tbs. toasted sesame oil
1 Tbs. plus 1 tsp. honey
2 tsp. wasabi paste
1 tsp. peeled and grated fresh ginger
Kosher salt

For the tuna:

3 Tbs. sesame seeds (black and white)
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. sugar
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 tsp. tamari
1/2 lb. (250 g) sushi-grade tuna or salmon, patted dry
2 Tbs. avocado oil

For serving:

2 bundles soba noodles, each 3 oz. (90 g)
1 Tbs. toasted sesame oil
1 small bunch watercress or daikon radish shoots
1 small watermelon radish, peeled and thinly sliced on a mandoline
2 Persian cucumbers, thinly sliced lengthwise on a mandoline

Directions:

To prepare the pickled daikon, place the daikon slices in a heatproof bowl. In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, combine the vinegar, water, sugar and 1 1/2 tsp. salt and bring to a simmer, whisking until the sugar and salt are dissolved, about 1 minute. Pour the vinegar mixture over the daikon, submerging the slices completely in the liquid. Let cool for 15 minutes, then cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 2 weeks.

To prepare the dressing, in a bowl, combine the mayonnaise, tamari, vinegar, sesame oil, honey, wasabi paste, ginger and 1/2 tsp. salt and whisk vigorously until emulsified. Alternatively, combine all the ingredients in a food processor and process until emulsified. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

To prepare the tuna, on a small baking sheet or a plate, stir together the sesame seeds, onion powder, sugar, 1/2 tsp. salt and 1/2 tsp. pepper. Pour the tamari onto a small plate, add the tuna and turn to coat evenly on both sides and the edges. Press the tuna into the sesame seed mixture, coating both sides and the edges.

Line a plate with paper towels. In a large nonstick fry pan over medium heat, warm the avocado oil until it shimmers across the surface of the pan, about 1 minute. To test, drop a couple of sesame seeds into the oil; if the seeds just start to sizzle, the oil is ready.

Add the tuna to the pan and cook, turning once, until a golden brown crust forms, 30 seconds to 1 minute per side. Reduce the heat if the pan starts to smoke; you don’t want the sesame seeds to burn. Carefully turn the tuna onto one edge and cook for 20 to 30 seconds, then repeat with the remaining edges. Transfer to the paper towel–lined plate and let the tuna rest for 5 minutes, then cut into 1/4-inch (6-mm) slices.

Meanwhile, bring a large saucepan of water to a boil over high heat. Add the soba noodles and cook according to the package instructions. Drain in a fine-mesh sieve, then rinse with cold water. Drain the noodles thoroughly.

Transfer the noodles to a bowl, add the sesame oil and toss to coat. Drizzle the dressing over the noodles and toss again to coat. Transfer the noodles to a large platter or plate and top with the watercress, watermelon radish and tuna. Arrange the pickled daikon and cucumbers around the platter. Serve immediately. Serves 4.

Williams Sonoma Test Kitchen