Seared Tuna With Arugula Pesto Recipes

GRILLED TUNA WITH BASIL PESTO

Steps:

• Preheat grill to 400 degrees F.
• Wash and pat dry the tuna steaks. Season with salt and pepper and brush both sides with olive oil. Place tuna on hot grill and sear each side for 2 minutes for rare. If you prefer well done, cook the tuna an additional 2 to 3 minutes per side. Remove from skillet and let it rest.
• Into the bowl of a food processor, add the garlic, basil leaves, pine nuts, salt, and pepper. Pulse until finely chopped. With the blender still running, slowly pour 1/2 cup of olive oil. Check for a thick, yet smooth consistency, adding more oil if necessary. Transfer to a bowl and stir in 1/2 cup Parmesan.
• Slice the tuna across the grain and on a bias into 1/2-inch thick slices. Place the slices on a serving plate and drizzle with lemon juice. Sauce tuna with pesto.

SESAME CRUSTED SEARED TUNA

Steps:

• Mix the Sesame Crust ingredients together in a small bowl.
• Pat dry the ahi tuna with paper towels.
• Place ahi tuna on a plate, coat all sides with soy sauce. This will help the sesame spice adhere to the tuna.
• Generously sprinkle all sides of the ahi tuna with the sesame mix, pressing it down into the flesh. Coat the sides. Read through the rest of the directions before starting because the next part goes very quickly.
• The goal here is to get a nice golden sear on all sides without cooking the ahi tuna all the way through. HOT PAN is key.
• Heat a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat, until very very hot. Place tongs, metal spatula and splatter guard (or lid) near the stove. When the pan is hot a flick of water should sizzle loudly. Once the skillet is hot, turn the fan on high. Add the oil and coat the pan and let it get hot. Carefully lay the tuna in the pan, pressing it down into the skillet with a metal spatula. Sear 45-60 seconds ( or longer)- checking the underneath by lifting one corner to see if it is golden. If golden, carefully flip. If not golden, turn the heat up. Sear the other side, 60-90 seconds until golden. Sear the long edges using tongs to hold it upright.
• Place on a cutting board, blot if you like, then using a very sharp knife, thinly slice, and serve.
• At this point, you could also refrigerate up to 3 days, and serve this later, chilled. Either way is good.

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.

SPAGHETTI WITH ARUGULA PESTO AND SEARED JUMBO SHRIMP

Steps:

• Blend the arugula and garlic in a food processor until finely chopped. With the machine running, gradually add 1/2 cup of oil, processing until well blended. Transfer the pesto to a large bowl. Stir in the Parmesan. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
• Prepare the grill (high heat). Using a knife, cut the back of the shrimp. Brush the shrimp with oil. Sprinkle with salt. Grill the shrimp until just cooked through, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer the shrimp to a plate.
• Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid.
• Toss the pasta with the pesto in the large bowl to coat, adding the reserved cooking liquid 1 tablespoon at a time to moisten. Top with the grilled shrimp. Garnish with the lemon zest and parsley.

SWORDFISH WITH CITRUS PESTO

Steps:

• Blend the basil, pine nuts, garlic, zests, juices, salt, and pepper in a food processor until the mixture is finely chopped. With the machine running, gradually add the olive oil until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the Parmesan.
• Place a grill pan over medium-high heat or preheat a gas or charcoal grill. Brush both sides of the swordfish fillets with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill the swordfish about 3 to 4 minutes on each side for a 1-inch thick fillet.
• Transfer the grilled swordfish to serving plates, top with the citrus pesto, and serve.

SEARED SESAME COATED TUNA OVER ARUGULA SALAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• Brush tuna with sesame oil and rice vinegar and dip sides, bottom and top, into sesame seeds and transfer to a non-stick baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes for rare or 20 minutes for more well done.
• Meanwhile wash and dry salad and lightly coat with dressing. Make dipping sauce.
• To serve, slice tuna steaks on bias and fan out in middle of plate; surround slices with salad and drizzle soy ginger reduction over the top.

SEARED TUNA WITH ARUGULA PESTO

Steps:

• 1 Rub the fish with a little oil and salt and pepper to taste. Cover and refrigerate until ready to cook. 2 To make the pesto: In a food processor, combine the arugula, basil, and garlic and process until finely chopped. Slowly add the oil and process until smooth. Stir in salt and pepper to taste. Cover and let stand 1 hour at room temperature. 3 In a large nonstick skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium heat. Add the tuna slices and cook 2 to 3 minutes per side or until browned on the outside but still pink in the center, or until done to taste. Test for doneness by making a small cut in the thickest part of the fish. 4 Serve the tuna hot or at room temperature, drizzled with the arugula pesto. From "1,000 Italian Recipes." Copyright 2004 by Michele Scicolone. Used with permission of the publisher, Wiley Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved.