Tuna can be an excellent focus for a meal. It’s a solid, lean protein source that can be very versatile and easy to cook.
Whether you use a griddle top (as we did here), a grill, or searing pan, the key is HIGH heat for SHORT time. We seasoned our tuna steaks with a light covering of sesame oil and an espresso chili rub and seared on a griddle at about 500ºF just long enough to cook the top layer (usually 1-2 minutes). Espresso rubs are becoming increasingly available, with base of dark coffee to provide a smokey, chocolatey bite and they are commonly mixed with a bit of salt or other spices to accentuate the flavors. We used one called Cowboy Crust from Spiceology.
We served these tuna steaks with korean-style sautéed kale and ginger peanut lime carrots roasted in the oven. For a good Korean-style seasoning, consider the Korean BBQ, also from Spiceology. We tossed the kale in a large bowl with a bit of olive oil and generous shake of this seasoning that provides a not-too-overwhelming spicy kick with umami flavors that are classic to Asian style cooking.
For the carrots, we roasted carrots lightly tossed in agave at 400ºF until soft, then transferred to a bowl where we added a 1/2 cup of sugar free peanut butter powder, 2 T powdered ginger, and juice of one lime.
Yum!
