Spicy Thai Tuna

I don't cook fish. It's not that I dislike fish - I love fish. It's the fear of walking that very thin line between undercooked and overcooked. But recently, I have been testing the waters. And there's no better way to conquer a food I'm afraid of than with the support of my beloved cast iron griddle. I sliced the tuna into 1/4" slices and cooked it for about 2 minutes on each side on a very hot griddle. It came out perfect!

Soon my brain was flipping through my mental rolodex of flavor pairings and preparations. So what pairs well with tuna? The bright flavors of lime and chilies. The sweet crunch of carrots and green onion. And the distinctive flavor of black vinegar. And sesame! Don't forget that! Oh, what about ginger? And that was how this laundry list of ingredients turned into an actually delicious meal.

Ingredients
1/3 cup fresh cilantro
2 medium ahi tuna steaks, sliced in 1/4" slices
1/2 cup finely shredded carrots
5-7 green onions, cut into 1/2" pieces
1 tsp fresh lime zest
juice of half a lime
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp red pepper flakes
3/4 cup chicken stock
1/2 tbsp. black vinegar
5 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
rice noodles or angel hair pasta, cooked al dente
1 1/2 tbsp. sesame oil
1 tsp hot chili oil
salt and pepper to taste
1 tbsp. sesame oil
1 tbsp. soy sauce

Toss sliced tuna with 1 tbsp. sesame oil and soy sauce.

Heat cast iron skillet, griddle or sauté pan over high heat. Sear tuna, about 2 minutes on each side.

In large sauté pan, heat remaining oil, garlic, ginger, pepper flakes, lime juice and lime zest over medium heat. Add stock and black vinegar and simmer about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and add noodles, carrot, green onion, cilantro and tuna. Toss to coat and serve hot.

It's time to eat!

Banana Pecan Soycakes

I like dairy. I like it a lot. Butter, milk, cheese. Bring it on! But some of my dearest friends have sensitivities to dairy and I've had many requests for a dairy-free breakfast option. Well my friends, this is it!

These fluffy delights are full of chopped pecans and caramelized banana slices.

 

1 cup All Purpose Flour

2 tbsp. Sugar

2 tsp. Baking Powder

1/2 tsp. Salt

1 cup Soy Milk

2 tbsp. Olive Oil

1 Large Egg

1/2 cup Chopped Pecans

1 Large Banana, sliced thin

Additional sugar

 

Heat griddle or skillet over medium heat.

 

In a small bowl combine flour, sugar, salt and baking powder. In a large bowl whisk together egg, milk and oil.

 

Add flour mixture and mix until just moistened. (There should be a few lumps.) Stir in pecans and let the batter rest 5 minutes.

 

Sprinkle banana slices with additional sugar and place 4-5 slices close together on the griddle for each pancake. Pour about 1/3 cup of batter over each group of bananas on griddle. Cook for about 3 minutes or until sides of the pancake look cooked and the tops are bubbly. Place 4-5 slices on top of each pancake before flipping. Cook for about 2 more minutes.

 

Makes 6 pancakes. It's time to eat!