Szechwan Seared Tuna with Soy-Mustard Sauce
Thanks to its high smoke point, grapeseed oil is excellent for frying and enables you to get a good sear on the tuna. Szechwan pepper, a mildly hot spice, comes from the prickly ash tree. The berries resemble black peppercorns but are unrelated to the peppercorn family and contain a tiny seed.
Ingredients:
- 2 Tbs. Dijon mustard
- 2 Tbs. soy sauce
- 2 1/2 Tbs. fresh lime juice
- 1 Tbs. grated fresh ginger
- 1 Tbs. minced shallot
- 6 Tbs. grapeseed oil
- 4 pieces lean sushi-grade Ahi tuna, each 3 oz.
- Salt, to taste
- Coarsely cracked Szechwan pepper, to taste
- 2 oz. mixed baby greens
Directions:
In a bowl, whisk together the mustard, soy sauce, 2 Tbs. of the lime juice, the ginger and shallot. Add 4 Tbs. of the grapeseed oil in a slow, steady stream, whisking constantly until blended. Set aside.
Season the tuna with salt and Szechwan pepper. In a fry pan over high heat, warm 1 Tbs. of the oil until nearly smoking. Add the tuna and sear for about 30 seconds per side. Immediately remove the tuna from the pan.
In a bowl, combine the greens, the remaining 1 Tbs. oil, the remaining 1/2 Tbs. lime juice and salt and toss to mix. Divide among 4 salad plates. Cut the tuna into 1/4-inch-thick slices and divide among the plates, fanning the slices alongside the salad. Drizzle 1 Tbs. of the soy-mustard sauce over each serving and serve immediately.
Season the tuna with salt and Szechwan pepper. In a fry pan over high heat, warm 1 Tbs. of the oil until nearly smoking. Add the tuna and sear for about 30 seconds per side. Immediately remove the tuna from the pan.
In a bowl, combine the greens, the remaining 1 Tbs. oil, the remaining 1/2 Tbs. lime juice and salt and toss to mix. Divide among 4 salad plates. Cut the tuna into 1/4-inch-thick slices and divide among the plates, fanning the slices alongside the salad. Drizzle 1 Tbs. of the soy-mustard sauce over each serving and serve immediately.