Sesame-Crusted Tuna

I think this is my favorite fish recipe. Honestly, this is so good it might make you scream. Tuna crusted in sesame seeds is excellent, but combine it with an amazing sauce, and you've got pure magic. I promise. My friend Lee Anna made this with me, and she was as blown away. This recipe's simplicity is trumped only by its awesomenicity, and that's why I'll never order tuna in a restaurant again. Bold statement? Yes, but that's how I roll. Some people call me Jenny; others call me Bold Tuna Statement Maker.

I got this recipe from Me-Myself-and-Pie, one of my favorite food blogs. You can't tell by most of my posts, but I'm addicted to Cooking Light magazine. It's true, and Me-Myself-and-Pie is all Cooking Light all the time. Combine great recipes with hilarious commentary, and you've got me sitting up all night deciding what to make next. It's a problem.

Sesame-Crusted Tuna with Wasabi Ponzu Sauce

chefjennylyn.com

Tuna

2 teaspoons vegetable oil
4 (6-ounce) tuna steaks (about 3/4 inch thick)
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons sesame seeds
2 tablespoons black sesame seeds
Sliced green onions (optional)

Sauce

1 tablespoon chopped green onions
2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons honey
1 1/4 teaspoons prepared wasabi paste
1 teaspoon grated peeled fresh ginger

Combine sauce ingredients, and set aside.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle tuna with salt. Combine sesame seeds in a shallow dish. Dredge tuna in sesame seeds. Add tuna to pan; cook 3 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness. Garnish with green onions, if desired. Serve tuna with sauce.

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Note: I use more sesame seeds than the recipe states, but I'm kind of crazy.

This is wasabi, sold on the Asian food aisle of the grocery store. It's just like what you get with your sushi, but it's powdered, and you get to mix it yourself. I repeat, it's just like what you get in a restaurant... That means you need to be careful. Don't touch your eyes, mouth, etc. if you've got this on your fingers, or you'll hate me. That would be sad. I'm measuring this into a Prep Bowl with an Adjustable Measuring Spoon. The wasabi needs a few minutes to become paste, so a Prep Bowl or Pinch Bowl is ideal to just put the lid on while prepping other ingredients.

The new Microplane Zester is blowing my mind. I was excited when I saw it introduced in March, but then I started using it and realized it is truly one of the most handy kitchen tools ever. The metal part is short enough that you have complete control, and the handle is wide enough for a good, solid grip. I'm zesting the lemon rind into a Small Batter Bowl. Love. It.

This sauce is seriously going to rock your world. Make it for any fish/sushi dish you want, and you might even want to consider being "that person" who shows up to a restaurant with your own sauce. People do it with salad dressing all the time, right? Moving on... Soy sauce is in the Easy Read Mini Measuring Cup, and rice vinegar and brown sugar are in Measuring Spoons. Then I've got ginger (yes, I know it's not fresh, but my fresh ginger was less than stellar when I made this) and honey the Adjustable Measuring Spoons. The orange was freshly cut with the 5" Utility Knife from the Forged Cutlery Collection, and the Mini Mix 'n Scraper was a pro on mixing wasabi paste. Everything is on the Cutting Board in an attempt at keeping my stove top clean. Key word: Attempt.

I told Lee Anna the Juicer was amazing, and I was pleased to see that she, too, found it to be the world's best tool for juicing all things citrus. All I can say is that the lemons and oranges we used didn't even know what hit them by the time we finished.

Lee Anna: master tuna salter. This is Coarse Sea & Himalayan Salt from the Pampered Pantry, and it's what takes recipes to the next level. The Bamboo Grinder not only looks nice, but it makes quick work of salt or pepper. Notice the Large Cutting Board across the sink, doubling my tiny kitchen's counter space.

Mix the sesame seeds, and dip the fish! Each fillet needs a little T.L.C. to get a good coating, so just be patient. Your efforts will be rewarded in about, oh... three minutes on each side. I've got my sesame seed mixture on a Small Square Plate from the Simple Additions Collection. I love these plates for jobs like this because the raised sides keep contents from flying everywhere.

The 10" Executive Skillet from the Executive Cookware Collection is the perfect size for four tuna fillets, and its nonstick coating (not Teflon, I promise) means no additional oil is needed. Two teaspoons of oil for this whole recipe? That's a win. TheSlotted Turner's beveled edge keeps the beautiful coating from ripping off.

These are every bit as good as they look. So try this recipe, understanding that it's healthy, healthy, healthy. Then make chocolate bread pudding to make up for all the fat and calories you missed. That's a Dots Dinner Plate from the Simple Additions Collection, by the way.

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