Tuna Burgers with Wasabi Mayo

Having spent most of last week in the hospital, having gone in to the ER on Monday for what I thought was simply dehydration only to find out it was more serious, having survived on Palace Caterers fare, occasionally interspersed with some truly delicious chicken soup and meat balls – prepared and given to me by the ladies of Bikur Cholim – I couldn’t wait to try out some new dishes (new for me, at least).

Although over the last few years, I’ve tried some fish and slowly changed my mind on their edibility, I have never become a fan. A notable exception – however – has been tuna ever since I first tried it at Levana’s home. Since it’s time for me to start cutting down on red meat – rather unfortunate for a lifelong hardcore carnivore – I thought I’d try some Tuna Burgers…

I found an interesting recipe in a paperback titled: Not Your Mother’s Weeknight Cooking, by best selling James Beard Award winning author, Beth Hensperger published in 2008 by Harvard Commons Press and adapted it.

Serves 4

Detail from photo by: Eksite Photography – photo between pages 118-119

Cooking Method: Stovetop
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: About 10 minutes

Ingredients

WASABI MAYO

• 3 green onions (white part and some of the green), cut in chunks
• One 1/2-inch chunk fresh ginger
• 2 teaspoons soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons wasabi sauce
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise

TUNA

• 3 green onions (white part and some of the green)
• One 1 and1/2-inch chunk fresh ginger
• 1 1/4 lbs tuna steaks, dark spots trimmed away
• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick)cold butter, cut into chunks (use margarine if you do not want a dairy version)
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
• Few grinds of freshly ground black pepper
• 4 round sesame seed-topped buns
• Butter lettuce leaves for serving

Directions

1. To make the mayo, in a food processor, add the green onions and ginger; pulse to finely chop. Add the soy sauce, wasabi sauce and mayonnaise. Process until smooth. Remove to a small bowl, cover and refrigerate until serving.
2. In the food processor, toss in the green onions and ginger; pulse to chop. Cut one-quarter of the tuna into  1/4-inch dice and place the rest in the food processor with the butter (or margarine); pulse to combine the butter and tuna; do not overprocess. Place in a bowl and add the diced tuna, soy sauce, sesame oil, and pepper.. Shape into 4 equal size patties.
3. Split the and toast the buns, set aside.
4. Preheat a large saute pan over medium high heat. Place the patties in the pan and brown quickly on one side, about 3 minutes. Turn over with a patula and brown the second side to the desired degree of doneness, about 3 to 4 minutes., leaving the center moist and reddish for medium-rare.
5. Slather the toasted buns on both sides with the wasabi mayo and top with butter lettuce leaves. Place the burgers o the buns and serve immediately.

Enjoy, gentle reader, enjoy!
CS

Tonno alla Siciliana – Sicilian Tuna

Growing up as a very fat kid in Uruguay, in an all Italian block (in the midst of the Jewish area – go figure), meant being bullied a lot; until… my mother became the best Italian cook on the block. Suddenly everybody wanted to be invited to have a taste of her home-made pasta (Pasta Fatta in Casa), her Marinara or Margherita sauces, her Pizza Quattro Stagioni or the Piadina or the fat Sfinciuni, or breads like her Pane Siciliano, or Ciabatta, or that incredible Focaccia con Cipolle. Ahhh, quelli giorni!!!

This is one of her dishes, though I will confess… not being into fish – at the time – or anything that may have resembled one, I never touched it:

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 4 tuna steaks, about 5 ounces each
• 2 fennel bulbs, thickly sliced lengthwise
• 2 red onions, sliced
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• crusty rolls, to serve

Marinade

• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 4 garlic clove, finely chopped
• 4 fresh red chili peppers, seeded and finely chopped
• juice and finely grated lemon rind
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley
• salt and pepper

Directions

1. Whisk all the marinade ingredients together in a small bowl. Put the tuna steaks in a large , shallow dish and spoon over a tablespoon of the marinade, turning until well coated. Cover and let marinade in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Set aside the remaining marinade.
2. Heat a stovetop grill pan over high heat. In a separate bowl, put the fennel and onions, add the oil and to toss to coat well. Add to grill pan and cook for 5 minutes on each side until it barely starts acquiring color. Transfer to four warmed serving plates, drizzle with the remaining marinade, keep warm.
3. Add the tuna steaks to the grill and cook, turning once, for 5 minutes until firm to the touch but still moist inside. Transfer to the serving plates and serve immediately with crusty rolls.

Enjoy, gentle reader, enjoy!

CS