The Author's Plate

I blogged earlier this week about the First Reader's dish - a hearty serving of spicy chorizo nachos. When we'd picked up the ingredients for it, we'd also gotten what I needed for this meal, which led to me joking that we are in a mixed marriage. No, it's not that one is republican and one is a democrat. It's not that one likes cats and the other dogs. No... we're a man and a woman. Which means we tend to have different approaches to food. I like a bit more elegant and refined meals (but not haute cuisine, I get hungry) and he'd be happy with burgers and dogs and, well, nachos.

But there was this beautiful tuna steak that was calling my name, so you all get a recipe today, and one tomorrow when ETWYRT resumes after my Spring Break interrupted it. This meal is incredibly simple for the lovely thing it is, and I was happy to fix it even after a full day of school.

So my idea of a lovely meal involves pretty presentation and yes, flowers.

First step: Put sushi rice (short grain white rice) in rice cooker. I was feeding two, so I prepared one cup dry rice with two cups of water. Set to cooking.

Second step: Marinade tuna steak in soy sauce, mirin, and a splash of sesame oil.

Tuna in the marinade. I should probably have put it in the night before, in a ziploc, but I spaced it. If you do this, flip it every so often.

Third step: After rice has been cooking for about 15 minutes. Heat a heavy saucepan with a bit of bacon grease, or 2-3 slices chopped bacon. When the bacon is crisp, or the pan is up to heat, dump in chopped kale (I cheated and bought it in a bag at the store). Toss to coat in the grease and put a lid on it. Set the heat at med-high. Start the broiler on high.

Cedar's note: I would have much preferred to cook the meat on the grill, but it was dark and cold and I was tired. The grill is much, much better for this steak, though.

Fourth step: Toss the kale and glug in rice wine vinegar. I use about 2-3 tbsp for a family size pot, half that for the two of us. Remove the tuna steak from the marinade and put it on a rack over a pan, then slide under the broiler (rack adjusted to keep it as close to the heat as possible). Check the rice, and fold 1-2 tbps mirin into it if it is done.

Fifth step: Toss the kale again. If it's wilted and bright green, kill the heat and remove it from the burner. Turn the tuna steak over to sear the other side. You do not want to overcook it: 2-3 min a side only.

Sixth step: Pull the steak out, slice it, and serve on a bed of kale with rice next to it. We put sweet chilli sauce on our rice, and I sprinkled sesame seeds over the steak for presentation.

Enjoy! Quick, simple, healthy, and beautiful!

As you can see, the tuna is very rare. Which is the best way to eat it, otherwise it tastes like the stuff in the tin. Ew.