Oh, sweet summertime. There’s nothing about summer I behold quite as dearly as the sight of a jubilant summer sun sinking down into the horizon, stretching an al fresco dinner into a luxuriously languorous evening affair.I especially adore summer meals that boldly broadcast the season’s vibrant produce (and/or fresh catches!) Ahi tuna salad is one of those dishes I rarely pass up if it’s on the menu. There’s something about the combination of a beautifully seared magenta-fleshed tuna, sweet, tangy citrus, and crunchy lettuce and wonton crisps that gets me right into the summer state of mind. And it’s an absolute cinch to make at home. Literally, dinner on the table in under 20 minutes. Buen provecho!
Seared Ahi Tuna Salad with Orange Ginger Vinaigrette
Ingredients
- 1 (6-8 oz) sushi grade Ahi tuna steak
- 2 Tablespoons Furikake seasoning (ie Eden Shake) or combination of black & white sesame seeds
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- favorite mixed greens (I like spring mix with baby spinach)
- 5-6 mint leaves
- 2 carrots, peeled into ribbons
- 1 seedless cucumber, thinly sliced
- ½ cup wonton crisps
- 1 avocado, diced
- 2 scallions, sliced, light green and white parts only
- segments of 2 mandarin oranges
- Orange Ginger Vinaigrette
- 3 Tablespoons toasted sesame oil
- 1 Tablespoon juice of orange/mandarin
- zest of 1 small mandarin
- 1 thin slice of fresh ginger, minced
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce/tamari
Method
- Heat a grill pan on high heat. Coat both sides of tuna steak with Furikake seasoning (or sesame seed mixture).Drizzle in sesame oil and sear tuna for about 1 minute on each side, taking care not to overcook. You only want to sear it, not cook it through! Once the tuna is seared, set it on a cutting board and cut against the grain into thin slices.
- Assemble the salad with mixed greens, mint, carrot ribbons, cucumber slices, wonton crisps, avocado, scallions and mandarin segments. Carefully place tuna slices on top of the salad.
- Make the vinaigrette by whisking toasted sesame oil, orange/mandarin juice, orange/mandarin zest, fresh ginger, and soy sauce. Drizzle on top of the salad and serve.
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