Ken Homs Seared Tuna With Spiced Confetti Food

SEARED TUNA STEAK

Steps:

• Smash up the chilli and the coriander seeds in a pestle and mortar.
• Peel and chop the garlic, pick and finely chop the herb leaves and add it all to the pestle and mortar with a drizzle of oil and lemon juice, to taste. Mix together, and season with sea salt and black pepper.
• Lay out your tuna steaks on a tray, season both sides and rub all over with the herb mixture.
• There are two nice ways to cook it: I prefer to cook it on a griddle pan or in a frying pan.
• Your pan should be very, very hot. Put in the tuna and what you want to do is sear it so that it toasts, fries and browns (about 45 to 60 seconds on each side).
• Once cooked, I like to rip the steaks in half and serve with salad and chips or boiled potatoes and a big wedge of lemon. It's quite sexy sometimes with some marinated sun-dried tomatoes, olives, basil... The possibilities are endless.

MOROCCAN-SPICED TUNA

Steps:

• Put the coriander, garlic, spices and lemon juice into a blender and blitz to a purée. With the motor running, slowly add the olive oil until you get a smooth, thick sauce. Set aside.
• Sit the tuna steaks in a non-metallic dish and cover with two-thirds of the sauce. Cover with cling film, then leave to marinate in the fridge for about 20 mins (or for up to 4hrs).
• Heat a griddle pan or grill. Shake off any excess marinade, season the tuna steaks, then cook for 2-4 mins, depending on thickness for medium rare, turning once (cook 2 mins more for well done). Drizzle over the remaining sauce paste to finish. Try serving with new potatoes; for a Moroccan twist, toss melted butter, harissa spice mix and chopped coriander leaves through the potatoes.

ASIAN SEARED TUNA

Steps:

• Slice off and discard the veiny stub of meat from the tuna, then slice into rough 3cm chunks. Place the sesame seeds onto a tray, then add the tuna chunks, turning them over in the seeds so they're nicely coated.
• Heat a good drizzle of olive and sesame oil in a medium frying pan over a medium heat. Peel and thinly slice the garlic, then add most of it to the pan. Fry for 1 to 2 minutes, or until golden and crisp, then use a slotted spoon to transfer to a plate (don't drain away the oil!).
• Return the pan to the heat and allow to heat up again, then add the sesame-coated tuna to the garlicky oil. Sear on one side for 10 to 20 seconds. Using tongs, turn the tuna over and keep cooking until you've seared only four sides of each chunk. Transfer to a plate.
• Peel and finely grate the ginger, then add to a bowl with the soy, 1 teaspoon sesame oil and the remaining sliced garlic. Add a squeeze of lemon juice, then mix well to combine. Have a taste and add a squeeze more lemon juice, if needed.
• Cut the seared tuna into slices, roughly 1cm thick, then arrange on your plates. Drizzle over the Asian dressing, scatter the garlic chips on top and tear over the coriander leaves. Trim and finely slice the spring onion and chilli at an angle, scatter on top, then finish with a drizzle of olive oil.

PAN-SEARED TUNA WITH AVOCADO, SOY, GINGER, AND LIME

Steps:

• In a mixing bowl, combine the cilantro, jalapeno, ginger, garlic, lime juice, soy sauce, sugar, salt, pepper, and 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Stir the ingredients together until well incorporated.
• Place a skillet over medium-high heat and coat with the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Season the tuna generously with salt and pepper. Lay the tuna in the hot oil and sear for 1 minute on each side to form a slight crust. Pour 1/2 of the cilantro mixture into the pan to coat the fish. Serve the seared tuna with the sliced avocado and the remaining cilantro sauce drizzled over the whole plate.

SEARED TUNA, YELLOWTAIL AND SALMON WITH THREE DIPPING SAUCES

Steps:

• Preheat a charcoal grill or kamado-style ceramic charcoal cooker for direct grilling over high heat.
• Thread one strip of fish per skewer, brush with oil on both sides and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill until slightly charred on both sides and still rare in the middle, about 30 seconds per side. Serve on platters with the dipping sauces in small bowls.
• Whisk together the mayonnaise, garlic, lime zest and juice and salt and pepper to taste. Let stand 10 minutes to allow the flavors to meld before serving.
• Whisk together the soy sauce, lemon juice, chile-garlic sauce and sugar and season with pepper. Let the sauce sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before serving.
• Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the ginger and red chile flakes and cook until the ginger is soft, about 2 minutes. Increase the heat to high, add the orange juice, brown sugar, soy sauce and lime juice and cook until the mixture is reduced by about one-quarter, stirring occasionally, 8 to 10 minutes.
• Remove from the heat, stir in the rice vinegar and orange and limes zests and let cool to room temperature. Add the green onions and sesame seeds just before serving.

MARINATED SEARED TUNA

Steps:

• In a flat, shallow dish, combine the soy, rice vinegar, sambal, white and light green scallions, garlic and ginger. Add the tuna and roll around to get the marinade on all sides. Cover and let sit in the fridge for up to 2 hours, turning the tuna periodically.
• Remove the tuna from the fridge and let sit in the marinade outside of the fridge for 20 to 30 minutes.
• When the tuna has come to room temperature, remove it from the marinade. With a paper towel, gently remove some of the excess marinade.
• Coat a large saute pan with peanut oil and bring it to a VERY high heat. When the pan is VERY hot but not quite smoking, pull the pan off the heat and add the tuna to the pan. Return the pan to the heat and sear the tuna for 1 minute on each side.
• Remove the tuna from the pan, let rest for 4 to 5 minutes and slice into 1/4 to 1/2-inch thick slices. Sprinkle with the dark green sliced scallion tops.
• Serve immediately with a little extra soy on the side if desired.

SPICY RUB FOR SEARED TUNA STEAKS

Steps:

• Whisk 2 tablespoons olive oil, lemon zest, coriander, black pepper, ginger, salt, and cinnamon in a small bowl; rub tuna steaks with spice mixture.
• Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear tuna in the hot oil until browned but still pink in the center, about 3 minutes on each side.

PEPPER SEARED TUNA STEAKS

Steps:

• Combine black pepper and sesame seeds in bowl.
• Press tuna steaks into mixture, until coated.
• Heat sesame oil over medium-high heat.
• Add tuna steaks and sear about 1- 1 1/2 minutes each side (I like mine rare in the center, longer if you prefer well-cooked tuna).
• Transfer steaks to tented aluminum foil to keep warm.
• Add a touch more oil to pan, then add soy sauce and sherry.
• Add garlic and most of green onion (reserving some of the tops).
• If too much has boiled off, add a bit of red wine if necessary.
• Reduce heat and simmer until mixture is slightly reduced, scraping up any brown bits, about 1 minute.
• Spoon sauce over tuna steaks, and sprinkle remaining green onion on top.
• Note: if you want to make more of this sauce, it tastes fantastic, and goes great with rices, potatoes, roasted veggies, etc.
• In the photo, I cross-cut Italian bread, drizzled with olive oil and briefly toasted.

SEARED SESAME-CRUSTED TUNA

Steps:

• In a shallow dish, combine the two types of sesame seeds and stir to mix.
• Season the tuna with salt and pepper and dredge in the sesame seeds, coating the tuna evenly.
• In a non stick pan, warm the oil until smoking, arrange the tuna in the pan (making sure not to overcrowd) and cook until the white sesame seeds start to turn golden underneath (around 1 minute).
• Carefully turn the tuna over and cook for about another minute.
• Transfer the tuna to a cutting board and cut into 1/4 inch thick slices.
• Serve immediately.

KEN HOM'S SEARED TUNA WITH SPICED CONFETTI

Steps:

• In a small bowl combine the soy sauce, rice wine, sesame oil and one-fourth teaspoon pepper. Place the tuna on a plate, spread the mixture evenly over the tuna on both sides, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for two hours.
• Heat a wok or a heavy skillet. Add the olive oil, then the scallions, garlic, ginger, shallots and chili. Stir- fry for one minute, then add the carrots, zucchini and red pepper. Stir-fry another minute, then add the cumin, salt, sugar and remaining black pepper. Stir-fry another minute, remove from heat, stir in the fresh coriander and set aside.
• Just before serving remove the tuna from the marinade, reserving the marinade. Pat the tuna dry on paper towels.
• Clean the wok or skillet and reheat it over high heat. Add the peanut oil. Add the tuna; reduce the heat to medium and sear on one side. Turn the tuna over and sear on the other side, long enough to brown the outside but keeping the inside rare. Remove the tuna to warm plates. Alternatively, the tuna can be brushed with the oil and grilled or broiled.
• Pour the marinade into the wok or skillet and bring to a boil. Pour the heated marinade over the tuna and spoon the vegetable mixture on top. Serve at once.

SESAME ENCRUSTED SEARED TUNA

Steps:

• Coat the tuna with the marinade and place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Add 1/2 cup of the olive oil to a medium saute pan and turn on medium-high heat. Julienne all of the vegetables and saute them quickly, 3 to 4 minutes. Set aside and keep warm. When the tuna is ready, take it out of the marinade and coat with the black sesame seeds. Pour another 1/2 cup of olive oil into a medium saute pan. Place on medium-high heat and sear tuna on both sides until golden brown. Let the tuna cool for 5 minutes. In a blender, blend the chives and remaining oil and strain. Place the strained mixture into the refrigerator until needed. To serve, mold the rice in a ramkin and place in center of the plate. Place the vegetables on top. Next, slice the tuna into 1-inch thick slices. Place them around the rice, making sure to overlap them just a bit. Spoon the chive oil around the plate and garnish with scallions.

FIVE-SPICE TUNA

Steps:

• In a large bowl of shallow dish, combine the first six ingredients. Add tuna and turn to coat. Refrigerate for 15 minutes., Drain tuna, discarding marinade. Place tuna on a broiler pan coated with cooking spray. Broil 3-4 in. from the heat until fish flakes easily with a fork, 3-5 minutes on each side .

SESAME SEARED TUNA

Steps:

• In a small bowl, stir together the soy sauce, mirin, honey and sesame oil.
• Divide into two equal parts.
• Stir the rice vinegar into one part and set aside as a dipping sauce.
• Spread the sesame seeds out on a plate.
• Coat the tuna steaks with the remaining soy sauce mixture, then press into the sesame seeds to coat.
• Heat olive oil in a cast iron skillet over high heat until very hot.
• Place steaks in the pan, and sear for about 30 seconds on each side.
• Serve with the dipping sauce and wasabi paste.