Grilled Tuna With Miso Shallot Caramel Food

SEARED TUNA WITH MUSHROOMS AND SHALLOTS

Steps:

• In a mixing bowl or ziplock bag mix together soy sauce, sesame oil, honey, 1/4 tsp salt and pepper. Add tuna steaks, coating well, and let sit for 10 minutes (you can do this step the night before and allow marinate overnight).
• Peel shallots and remove both ends. If you are using larger shallots, slice them horizontally to about 1 inch slices. Rough slice mushrooms. Lightly salt and pepper both shallots and mushrooms. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to non-stick skillet on medium high heat. When pan is hot add shallots, cut side down. Cook 3-4 minutes until surface is lightly browned and starting to caramelize. Turn each slice to brown on the other side. Move shallots to one side of the skillet, and add mushrooms to open side. Lower heat to medium and cook mushrooms for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Sprinkle with balsamic and stir. Remove both shallots and mushrooms to a plate.
• Add remaining olive oil to the pan and heat to high. Remove steaks from marinade and pat dry. Press toasted sesame seeds (if using) onto both sides of each steak. Place steaks into hot pan and sear for 2 minutes on each side for medium rare, or 3 minutes on each side for medium. Remove to cutting board and allow to rest for 3 minutes.
• Slice into 1/2 inch slices and serve with mushrooms and shallots. Delicious served over rice or in a noodle bowl as well.

SEARED SESAME TUNA

Steps:

• Place a large non-stick frying pan on a medium-high heat.
• Rub the miso all over the tuna, then pat on the sesame seeds to cover.
• Place in the hot pan with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and sear for 1½ minutes on each side, so it's beautifully golden on the outside but blushing in the middle.
• Remove to a board to rest. Quickly wipe out the pan with a ball of kitchen paper, then return to the heat.
• Trim the spring onions and slice at an angle the same length as the sugar snaps, tossing both into the hot pan with a few drips of red wine vinegar and a pinch of sea salt for 2 minutes to lightly catch and char.
• Slice the sesame tuna and serve on top of the veg, drizzled with 1 teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil.

GRILLED MISO GLAZED JAPANESE EGGPLANT

Steps:

• Preheat grill to medium (grill side, not hot plate) or a heavy based pan over medium heat. It's important only to use medium heat because otherwise the eggplant will burn before it cooks through.
• Combine the Miso Glaze ingredients and whisk to combine and remove lumps.
• Brush the cut side of each eggplant with the oil. Do it 2 to 3 times to use up all the oil.
• Place the cut side down on the grill and cook for 4 minutes until it turns a light golden brown.
• Turn over, and cook for 3 to 4 minutes. While it is cooking, use a spoon to spread a generous amount of Miso Glaze on the cut side of each eggplant.
• Squeeze the side of the eggplant with your tongs (or fingers if you can handle the heat!) to check for doneness - it should be squishy and soft.
• Turn over and grill just for 30 seconds to 1 minute, just to caramelise the glaze.
• Remove from grill, garnish with shallots and sesame seeds and serve immediately.

PAN-SEARED TUNA WITH GINGER, MISO AND CILANTRO SAUCE

Steps:

• Whisk lemon juice, sesame oil, soy sauce and pepper in small bowl to blend. Place tuna steaks in 13 x 9 x 2-inch glass baking dish. Pour marinade over tuna steaks; turn to coat. Cover and refrigerate 3 hours, turning occasionally.
• Remove tuna from marinade. Spray large nonstick skillet with vegetable oil spray. Heat skillet over high heat. Add 3 tuna steaks to skillet and cook about 3 minutes per side for medium-rare. Transfer tuna steaks to plate. Tent with aluminum foil to keep warm. Repeat with remaining 3 tuna steaks.
• Transfer tuna steaks to plates. Spoon Ginger, Miso and Cilantro Sauce atop tuna. Garnish with cilantro and serve.

GRILLED TUNA WITH MISO SHALLOT CARAMEL

Steps:

• To make the miso-shallot caramel, place sugar and about 2 tablespoons water in a small saucepan, and cook over medium-high heat until sugar is dissolved and turns amber in color, between 10 and 12 minutes.
• Add shallots, and toss to coat. Cook, stirring until caramel is liquid again, 1 to 2 minutes. Add miso, soy sauce, star anise, Worcestershire sauce, and Marsala wine; stir to combine. Reduce heat to medium, and cook until syrupy, about 8 minutes. Remove from heat, and discard anise.
• Transfer the mixture to the jar of a blender. Puree until smooth, about 5 minutes, scraping down the sides as needed. Transfer to a bowl; set aside.
• Place sesame seeds in a small saute pan set over medium heat, and toast until seeds are golden brown, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat; set aside to cool.
• Heat a grill or grill pan until very hot. Season the tuna steaks with salt and pepper. Place tuna steaks on hot grill, and cook until browned, about 2 minutes. Turn over, and continue cooking 1 to 2 minutes more. Transfer tuna steaks to a large cutting board; immediately brush tops with the reserved miso caramel.
• Slice each tuna steak diagonally into 3 pieces. Garnish with the reserved toasted sesame seeds, and serve.

MISO NOODLES WITH SEARED AHI TUNA

Steps:

• For the noodles and dressing: Begin by making the dressing. In a large bowl, combine the miso, soy sauce, 1/4 cup hot water, mirin, canola oil, rice vinegar and sesame oil. Whisk together well and set aside.
• In a large pot of salted boiling water, blanch the sugar snap peas until bright green and just tender, 10 to 15 seconds. Set aside. Add the soba noodles to the hot water and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Then strain and rinse under cold running water (this will stop the cooking process and gives the soba noodles their distinctive springy texture). Toss the noodles in the dressing and fold in the sugar snap peas and julienned carrot. Set aside until ready to serve.
• For the seared ahi tuna: In a large mixing bowl, make a quick marinade of the canola oil, sweet soy sauce, yuzu, sesame oil and ginger. Whisk together to combine. Carefully cut the tuna into 1 1/2-inch cubes and place in the marinade and toss to coat well (it will be a very light coating/marinade as the tuna shouldn't be too wet when searing).
• Thread 4 pieces of tuna per bamboo skewer (4 cubes per skewer, 8 skewers total). Mix the sesame seeds together and spread out on a flat platter. Take each skewer and press the tuna into the sesame seed mixture so it is well coated on all 4 sides.
• Heat a flat grill plate to high heat. Brush lightly with some oil to clean the grates and create a nonstick surface. Grill the tuna skewers just a few seconds on each of the 4 sides so the sesame seeds are toasted and crunchy and the tuna is rare in the middle, 30 to 35 seconds.
• Serve the tuna skewers on a bed of the dressed soba noodles and garnish with some sliced scallions.