Seared Tuna with Cilantro Yogurt Sauce and Sweet Corn Hash

In the heat of the summer, I'm always looking for culinary ways to cool off. I make raw vegetable salads, cold soups, and lighter meals. Even the Adorable Monster was feeling the heat. When our neighbors invited us over to their pool, I brought him with me and took him for his second ever swim. You wouldn't think it by looking at him, but he's quite the swimmer! In between trying to swipe grilled steak and chicken off unattended plates, he had a blast paddling around the pool. And afterward, he was even curlier than usual. A regular poof ball of fur.

So two weeks ago, with temperatures soaring into the mid-90's, I picked up some gorgeous, deep red Ahi Tuna from Whole Foods. One of the things I love most about Ahi Tuna is that it only needs to be seared, not cooked all the way through, which makes it taste fresh and clean. After some serious foodie meditation, I settled on making a cilantro yogurt sauce with fresh organic cilantro and plain Greek yogurt. I theorized that the sauce would give the dish an herbaceous, refreshing component.

Boy, was I right! It was so tasty I wanted to eat it with a spoon. Seriously, cilantro flavored yogurt anyone?

To finish the dish, I whipped up a Sweet Corn Hash with Vidalia onions and organic zucchini in my cast iron skillet. The combination of the cilantro-yogurt sauce and the sweet corn hash was so delectable that I ate the leftovers with a fried egg substituting for the tuna the next morning. It was almost better, if that's possible. So stay cool this summer with this recipe!

Seared Tuna with Cilantro Yogurt Sauce and Sweet Corn Hash
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Serves 4 people
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Ingredients
4 four ounce pieces of Ahi Tuna
2 tablespoons grapeseed oil
salt and pepper

cilantro yogurt sauce
1/4 cup fresh cilantro
1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
pinch of cayenne pepper
juice of 1 lemon
1 tablespoon olive oil
salt and pepper

sweet corn hash
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
4 ears of corn, kernels removed
2 cups zucchini, chopped
1 Vidalia onion or other sweet onion, peeled and chopped
1 garlic clove, peeled and chopped
salt and pepper

Directions
To make the sweet corn hash, heat the olive oil in a cast iron skillet or saute pan.  Add the onions and cook until beginning to soften (about 5 minutes). Add the garlic and saute for one more minute.  Then, add the zucchini and cook until becoming tender. Add the sweet corn kernels and cook the hash down in the skillet until it's tender and the onions are beginning to turn into jam. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, to make the cilantro-yogurt sauce, place all of the ingredients except the salt and pepper in a food processor or blender and process until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

To cook the tuna, sprinkle both sides of the fish generously with salt and pepper.  Heat the grape seed oil in a saute pan over high heat. Place the fish in the pan and quickly sear on all sides (about one minute per side).  Remove from heat and allow to rest for at least five minutes before cutting into slices.

To plate, spoon some sweet corn hash onto a place. Top with pieces of sliced tuna and drizzle with the cilantro yogurt sauce.  Finish with chopped cilantro and fresh cracked pepper. Enjoy!

Source for Ingredients
organic sweet corn, organic zucchini, organic cilantro, organic Greek yogurt, Ahi tuna, organic lemons, organic ground cumin, and cayenne pepper from Whole Foods 

Wine Pairing
On this night, Kuzak was craving cabernet sauvignon, so we popped a bottle of 1994 BV Private Reserve George De Latour. I picked up the bottle while visiting the winery in Napa with The Wine Lover (my father). We decanted the wine first to allow it to open up. Heck, it had been in a bottle for more than fifteen years. The first whiff I took held great promise - musky, earthy, some latent fruit percolating up through my nostrils. It smelled just how aged cab should. The wine drank beautifully all night long, full of musk and blackberry fruit. It was a fabulous accompaniment to a softer meal, lovely but not overpowering. A great effort from a legendary producer. Bravo.

Meatless Monday: White Bean Soup with Rosemary and Garlic Crostini

Divas, did you know that beans are one of the healthiest foods on the planet?  They even straddle two food groups - they have enough protein to be classified as a meat and enough nutrients to be classified as a vegetable.  That's impressive!  They're also packed with iron and calcium, making them a great meat and dairy substitute.

Cannellini beans have to be one of my favorite varietals.  Also known as white Italian beans and kidney beans, I love them for their mellow nutty flavor.  For this simple soup, I soak the beans overnight and then simmer them in water until tender (canned beans may be used in a pinch).  Them, I puree half of them with vegetable stock into a creamy broth and add the other half of intact beans, creating a rustic soup.  I serve this soup with garlic bread.  Add a green salad, and you have the perfect lunch or dinner. 

White Bean Soup with Rosemary and Garlic Crostini
Serves 4-6 people
Cooking time: 20 minutes (not including soaking and simmering beans)
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Ingredients
3 cups cooked Cannelini beans (canned beans may be substituted - make sure to drain and rinse them with cool water)
2 garlic cloves, peeled
1 sprig rosemary, leaves removed from stem
2 sprigs thyme, leaves removed from stem
2 sprigs oregano, leaves removed from stem
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 cups vegetable broth
salt and pepper

garlic crostini
4 slices of baguette
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 garlic clove
4 sprigs rosemary

Directions
Place half of the beans (1 1/2 cups) into a blender or food processor.  Add the herbs, olive and stock.  Process until smooth.  Season to taste with salt and pepper. Pour into a stock pot and stir in the remaining 1 1/2 cups of beans.  Bring to a boil and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, toast the baguette slices.  Then, drizzle with the olive oil and rub with the garlic clove.  Top with a fresh rosemary sprig.

To serve, ladle the soup into bowls.  Top with a garlic corstini and drizzle with olive oil.  Finish with a little cracked black pepper.  Enjoy!

Source For Ingredients
dried cannellini beans from Bob's Red Mill (Whole Foods)

organic herbs from my herb garden

organic vegetable stock, organic garlic and baguette from Trader Joe's 

Top 10 Reasons I Love Eating In Japan! Plus Pictures From Sushi Dai By The Tokyo Fish Market!

Last week, I returned from my first trip to Japan.

While there, I dined on everything from tempura to ramen to chicken sashimi (yes, I ate raw chicken and loved it).  I literally ate my way through Tokyo and Kyoto.  Even though I didn't feast in any of the highest end restaurants, the food I ate was the best of my life.  Not to sound like an Alexander Hamilton-esque traitor, but if you ask me, eating in Japan in better than eating in the U.S. from street food to formal dining.  Want to know why? 

Meatless Monday "Mac N Goat Cheese" With Cherry Tomatoes, Bell Peppers, And Walnuts

Happy Meatless Monday!

I'm back with more great meatless recipe ideas.  This is my healthy take on the quintessential Mac N  Cheese.  Instead of elbow pasta made from wheat, I use a gluten-free brown rice rotini (the ridges are great for catching cheese).  I also use fresh goat cheese (chevre) to make a creamy sauce and load the pasta up with fresh vegetables including spring onions, cherry tomatoes and peppers.  I finish it with toasted walnuts (healthy fats and protein) and fresh basil.  I promise that even the pickiest eater will fall in love with this dish!

"Mac N Goat Cheese" With Cherry Tomatoes, Bell Peppers, And Walnuts
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Serves 4-6 people

Ingredients
1 pound brown rice rotini (or other whole grain pasta)
2 tablespoons olive oil plus more for drizzling
1/2 cup green onions, white and tender green parts chopped
1 garlic clove, peeled and chopped
2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
1 bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1/2 cup fresh goat cheese (chevre)
1/4 cup fresh basil, julienned
1/2 cup walnuts, toasted and chopped
salt and pepper

Directions
Bring a pot of salted water to a boil.

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil over medium heat in a saute pan.  Add the onions and cook until beginning to soften.  Add the garlic and cook for one more minute.  Then, add the cheery tomatoes and the bell pepper.  Saute until all the vegetables are cooked.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Remove from heat and set aside.

Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook per package instructions until al dente (about 8 minutes).  Drain the pasta, reserving at least one cup of the cooking liquid.  Toss the pasta with the vegetable mixture.  Add the goat cheese and 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid.  Toss until the goat cheese melts and forms a creamy sauce, adding more cooking liquid as needed.  Check seasoning (salt and pepper).

To serve, put the pasta in a bowl and top with the walnuts and the basil.  Drizzle with a little good olive oil and sprinkle with fresh cracked pepper.  Enjoy!

Source For Ingredients
organic brown rice pasta, organic heirloom cherry tomatoes, organic bell pepper, green onions, organic garlic, walnuts and goat cheese from Trader Joe's

organic basil from my garden

Wine Pairing
With this meal, we drank a wonderful Roar 2005 Pinot Noir, Pisoni Vineyard.  Roar makes great pinot noir with grapes from some of the best vineyards in the Santa Lucia Highlands (California Central Coast), and the Pisoni may be their best - spicy and fruity with great structure.  Also, the 2005's are drinking fabulously right now.  We devoured this bottle.

Grilled Salmon With Homemade Teriyaki Sauce And Grilled Scallions

With temperatures heating up all over the country, who wants to heat up their kitchen making dinner?  Enter the grill.  I love using mine, not only because my house lacks air conditioning, but also because it's a delicious and healthy way to cook a variety of foods from fish to bison to vegetables.

Having just come off an eating out bonanza in Japan, I've been dying for some clean, healthy home-cooked meals.  So while suffering from extreme jet lag, I snapped up some lovely wild king salmon steaks at Whole Foods and carted them home along with some scallions, broccoli and russet potatoes. 

Usually I buy based on quality of ingredients with only a loose idea of how I'll prepare the food and then I wait for inspiration to strike.  Well, it did last night, and I decided to grill the fish and glaze it with a homemade teriyaki sauce (a sweet soy sauce).  I also grilled up some scallions and served the fish along with steamed broccoli and baked potatoes topped with lemon juice and pimenton.

This was the perfect welcome home dinner - easy, healthy and delicious.  Even better, I have some leftover salmon that I'll eat for lunch over an arugula, tomato and cucumber salad.  Now if only I could get over this jet lag and get some sleep...

Grilled Salmon With Homemade Teriyaki Sauce And Grilled Scallions
Serves 2 people
Cooking time 30 minutes

Ingredients
2 salmon steaks
bunch of scallions
2 tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper

terikyaki sauce
1/2 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons sesame oil
juice and zest of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons fresh ginger, minced or 1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 cup scallions, chopped
2 teaspoons garlic, peeled and minced
2 teaspoon sesame seeds
pinch of cayenne pepper

Directions
Preheat the grill.

Meanwhile, to make the teriayki sauce, whisk together all of the ingredients.  Set aside. The teriyaki sauce may be made up to two days in advance and refrigerated. 

Brush the salmon and scallions with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Once the grill is hot, place the salmon steaks and scallions on the grill.  Cook the fish over high heat for a few minutes, then flip and move to a cooler part of the grill to finish cooking.  Brush with the teriyaki sauce to glaze the fish. Remove the fish from heat once it's cooked through and beginning to flake.  Likewise, remove the scallions once they are tender.

To serve, place the salmon steaks on plates and top with a few grilled scallions.  Drizzle with a little teriyaki sauce.  Enjoy!

Source For Ingredients
wild king salmon steaks, organic scallions, raw honey, organic soy sauce, sesame seeds, sesame oil, cayenne pepper, organic lemon, organic olive oil and organic garlic from Whole Foods

Wine Pairing
Pinot noir and salmon are a classic pairing, so with this meal, Kuzak popped a bottle of Anthill Farms 2008 Anderson Valley Pinot Noir.  This is their lower priced offering, but it didn't taste like it!  We loved this bottle from one of our favorite producers.  It was bursting with cherry flavor, spice and structures. It's an exceptionally food friendly wine that complimented our meal without overtaking it.