Lessons from Grandmother: Part One
Every time I go home I go home I get so excited, not only because I get to see family and friends, eat great mexican food and enjoy beautiful weather, but also because I know, no matter what, I'll learn something new. It never fails, whether I'm out in the shop with my dad or in the kitchen with mom and grandmother. This last time I was home, we stayed in the house almost all weekend. The weather wasn't great, and the week before had been a busy week for me at a work thing, so I was exhausted and not really up for much. So, we laid in bed, watched netflix and cooked almost every meal at home. Naturally, I decided to grab my camera and share with you some of my grandmothers go to recipes for a simple and delicious dinner.
First up is Ahi Tuna. I love tuna, but every time I've tried to make it at home it just goes miserably. I mean it tastes fine I guess, but it's never as delicious as when you have it at a restaurant or something. Well I learned what I was doing wrong, and now I'm a tuna pro. It's so easy, and the most important step makes this a great go to dinner when you've gotten caught at the office late or someone drops in for dinner and you have no clue what to make. Wanna know the secret? The tuna has to be FROZEN. What?! Something that has to be frozen? That's my kind of dinner. I know I'm not the only one who's had to call chinese delivery guy because I forgot to take dinner out of the freezer...
I love having tuna like this over a great salad, but my grandmother has found this awesome asian slaw salad mix at the grocery store which is a great way to eat it too. She adds a little something, something to make it off the charts, but it's all so easy, see for yourself...
Tuna Like the Pros
Step-By-Step
This really is a simple and delicious way to cook tuna. To start, cover the FROZEN tuna in olive oil and season your griddle with coarse black pepper and sea salt.
Let the griddle get nice and hot, and then place the oiled tuna, you should hear the sound of it sizzling and searing.
Cover the top of the tun with finely ground spice mixture of Montreal seasoning, onion powder, and garlic powder.
Let the tuna cook about a 1/4 of the way up then flip it. See that nice little even ring around the top and the golden crust that's formed on the outside? That's when you know you're in business.
Let it cook just until the middle is heated all the way through. Since you're using a frozen fish, you'll know it's heated through when the center gives a little when you push on it with your tongs.
Once it's finished slice it up, the inside should be a beautiful deep pinky red. Enjoy!
Grandmother serves here with an asian salad mix that she buys at the store. To kick it up a bit she add Mandarin oranges and their juice, some water chestnuts, salt and pepper and sesame oil. The bag is a mixture of cabbage, carrots, cilantro, green onions, and a sesame ginger dressing. Mix all of it together and you've got an easy, delicious side for this fresh tuna.
I know what I'm making for dinner this week. Do you?
Ahi Tuna
INGREDIENTS
FROZEN Ahi Tuna Steaks - should be a beautiful pinkish red color
coarse ground pepper and salt
olive oil
finely ground montreal seasoning
garlic powder
onion powder
INSTRUCTIONS
cover a skillet in coarse ground pepper and sea salt, heating over a medium heat
while the pan is heating, cover the FROZEN tuna steaks in olive oil
place the olive oiled tuna on the hot pan and do not move it
cover the tops of the tuna with the finely ground montreal seasoning, garlic powder and onion powder
once you see a ring all the way around about 1/4 of the way up the sides, flip it
let it cook until the inside is heated all the way, through and through, you'll know because the center will give a little when you push down on it with the tongs
slice and serve immediately