quick and easy dinner | Bewitching Kitchen

…. Get out of the steak you’re in! 😉

We don’t often dine out, simply because we prefer to cook at home: it’s less expensive, less caloric and more satisfying. The only real exception is sushi, which I don’t attempt to make. But, if a restaurant menu offers “seared tuna,” then that’s usually my selection! I like it served cold (our local sushi restaurant makes a killer seared tuna salad with creme fraiche and wasabi dressing), I like it served warm (over pasta, rice, or soba noodles), and I feel great after eating it. Seared tuna is a fantastic, weeknight-friendly dish: ten minutes tops from the refrigerator to plating.

I slightly adapted this recipe from “The Improvisational Cook“, by Sally Schneider, and served it with a crispy potato / spinach / escarole salad based on this recipe. It’s a healthy, tasty dinner, that reinforced my infatuation with seared tuna.

TUNA WITH SESAME SEEDS, CRACKED CORIANDER and CRISPY GINGER
(adapted from Sally Schneider)

2 ahi-tuna steaks (sushi-quality)
3-inch piece of ginger, sliced very thin
3 Tbs peanut oil
1/4 cup sesame seeds
1/4 cup cracked coriander seeds
1/16 cup nigella seeds
salt and pepper to taste

Heat the oil over medium heat in a small saucepan. Add the ginger slices and cook over low heat for 7-8 minutes until the ginger is crisp. Transfer to paper towels with a slotted spoon, season lightly with salt, and reserve the ginger slices and the oil.

Place the sesame seeds, cracked coriander, and nigella seeds in a plate. Season the tuna steaks with salt and pepper, then press both sides of the steaks on the seeds mixture.

Heat the ginger oil in a non-stick skillet until hot, but not smoking. Place the steaks in the oil, and cook for 90 seconds on each side for medium-rare. Transfer to a cutting board, slice with a sharp knife, scatter the crispy ginger, and serve.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: If you can’t find top-quality tuna steaks, then don’t attempt this recipe. The fish will be nearly raw in the middle, so only the best quality tuna will rise to the challenge. If you prefer it a little more cooked, then give it an additional 30 seconds on each side, but avoid over-cooking.

To crack the coriander seeds I placed them in a small ziplock bag and used a meat mallet. Be gentle because they crack easily; you don’t want to turn them into powder. Other mixtures also work well, like cracked black pepper or mustard seeds. Nuts easily burn, but the searing takes less than 2 minutes, so it’s not a problem as long as the oil isn’t smoking hot.

I’d never tried crispy ginger, and my husband thought it was a bit strong, but I liked it a lot. Cut the slices as thin as possible. The mandoline didn’t work as well as I’d hoped, so I ultimately used my chef’s knife. Amazingly enough, I still have all ten fingers. 😉 Even if you don’t like the fried ginger, it is worth making it for the infused oil.

And now for something completely different…. savor this!

Korean food is wonderful, and in my opinion, under-appreciated. When I lived in Sao Paulo, I loved a restaurant that specialized in Korean barbecue, a gastronomic experience not to be missed. Unfortunately, our current location is less blessed with good restaurants, and Korean food is nowhere to be found. The only way to satisfy my cravings is to cook it at home! I’ve made this dish many times since it was first published in Fine Cooking, and it’s become one of our favorites.

(receita em portugues na pagina seguinte)

KOREAN-STYLE PORK WITH ASIAN SLAW
(adapted from Fine Cooking #78, April 2006)

2 small pork tenderloins (about 1-1/4 lb.)
1/3 cup soy sauce
2 Tbs rice vinegar
2 Tbs. brown sugar
1 cloves garlic, minced
1-1/2 Tbs. minced fresh ginger
1/2 Tbs. Asian sesame oil
1/2 Tbs. Asian chile sauce (like Sriracha)
2 to 4 Tbs canola oil

for salad
1 lb. napa cabbage, thinly sliced (about 6 cups)
1 cup grated carrot
4 scallions (both white and green parts), trimmed and thinly sliced
1 Tbs. canola or peanut oil
1/2 tsp sesame oil
2 Tbs. rice vinegar
1 Tbs brown sugar
Kosher salt

Trim the pork of any silverskin and excess fat, and cut on the diagonal into 1/2-inch-thick medallions. Pound each slice gently with a meat mallet, protecting it with plastic wrap as you pound it.

In a small measuring cup, whisk together the soy sauce, 2 Tbs. of the rice vinegar, 2 Tbs. of the brown sugar, the garlic, ginger, 1/2 Tbs. of the sesame oil, and 2 tsp. of the chile sauce. Toss 1/2 cup of this mixture with the pork medallions in a large bowl; reserve the remaining mixture to use as a sauce, if you want. Let the pork sit at room temperature for 25 minutes or refrigerate for up to 12 hours.

Meanwhile, in another large bowl, toss the cabbage and the carrot with half of the scallions, 1 Tbs. of the canola oil, 1 tsp. salt, and the remaining 2 Tbs. rice vinegar, 1 Tbs. brown sugar, 1/2 Tbs. sesame oil, and 1 tsp. chile sauce. Let sit for 15 minutes, toss again, and transfer to a large serving platter.

Heat 2 Tbs. of the canola oil in a 12-inch, heavy-based skillet over medium high heat until very hot. Remove the pork from the marinade, shaking off the excess, and transfer the pork to a clean plate. Discard the marinade. Add half of the pork medallions to the skillet, spacing them evenly. Cook them without touching until well browned, about 2 minutes. Flip and cook until the pork is just cooked through about 2 more minutes. Set the pork on top of the slaw. Pour out the oil and wipe the pan with paper towels (if the drippings on the bottom of the pan look like they may burn, wash the pan). Return the pan to medium-high heat. Add the remaining 2 Tbs. canola oil, and cook the remaining medallions in the same manner. Top the slaw with the remaining pork, and pour the reserved soy-ginger sauce over the medallions. Serve immediately, sprinkled with the remaining scallions.

to print the recipe, click here

Comments – Napa cabbage is best in this recipe, but I’ve made it with regular green cabbage too. In that case, it’s important to slice it thin, otherwise it can be a little too crunchy. This dish surprised us because it’s tastier than expected from the ingredients and preparation. I usually marinate the meat in the morning, and leave it in the fridge the whole day, for a super-easy dinner after work. Don’t be alarmed by the state of the frying pan when you finish cooking the meat: the high sugar content in the marinade tends to cause it to stick to the pan, but it rinses off quite easily… no elbow grease needed. 😉

Instead of adding the reserved marinade on top of the meat, I advise you to try a little on your plate – some people might find it too strong. I often skip the additional sauce, particularly when the meat was marinated for several hours.

para receita em portugues…