On Sunday, Derek and I bought a nice big container of fresh basil in hopes to use it with the calamari and red sauce we were thinking of making. When I found the recipe that we ended up using (Mario Batali's 2-Minute Sicilian Calamari) we decided it best to hold off and not include basil into the already complex flavors of the dish. Thus, a mission for the week - use basil!
Both components of Tuesday night's meal included basil in some form.
Caprese Salad & Seared Tuna
For the Caprese Salad - no recipe was necessary. I used:
2 small-medium vine-ripened tomatoes, cut into slices
5 marinated mozzarella balls, cut in half and flattened
9 basil leaves
1 T. oil from the marinated mozzarella container
balsalmic vinegar (aged)
salt and pepper
Arrange tomato, mozzarella slize, basil in a repeating pattern. Drizzle with oil and drops of balsamic vinegar. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Make sure the tomatoes and really good quality, it makes all the difference in the world!!
For the tuna:
Recipe adapted from Jamie Oliver's Spice-Crusted Tuna Steaks with Cilantro and Basil
(we omitted the cilantro)
Ingredients
1 small dried red chile, stemmed
1 tablespoon coriander seeds
1 small garlic clove
1/2 cup finely chopped basil leaves (used extra due to no cilantro)
1/3 cup finely chopped cilantro omitted
Juice of 1 lemon
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
Vegetable oil, for brushing
Four 8-ounce tuna steaks about 1/2-inch thick (we bought one large tuna steak - just under a pound)
Directions
1.In a mortar, coarsely grind the chile with the coriander seeds. Add the garlic and mash to a paste. Stir in the basil, cilantro and lemon juice. Season the herb paste with salt and pepper.
2.Lightly brush a grill pan with vegetable oil and set it over moderately high heat until very hot but not smoking. Season the tuna steaks with salt and pepper and rub the herb paste all over both sides. Sear the tuna steaks for 1 minute per side for rare or until cooked to desired doneness. Serve at once.
Derek and I were debating. "Which is better: tuna raw or tuna seared?" (obviously not even throwing in the option of fully cooked tuna - not even a question)
Derek's thought is: seared. Hmmm...what a concept! I've been into the "raw is so much better" mindset lately - but he really had a point. Searing it obviously changes the entire flavor, but it really gives it MORE flavor, without losing the delicious flavor of the tuna meat. I'd like to do a side by side comparison. For me - I think it just depends on my mood!
Both components of Tuesday night's meal included basil in some form.
Caprese Salad & Seared Tuna
For the Caprese Salad - no recipe was necessary. I used:
2 small-medium vine-ripened tomatoes, cut into slices
5 marinated mozzarella balls, cut in half and flattened
9 basil leaves
1 T. oil from the marinated mozzarella container
balsalmic vinegar (aged)
salt and pepper
Arrange tomato, mozzarella slize, basil in a repeating pattern. Drizzle with oil and drops of balsamic vinegar. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Make sure the tomatoes and really good quality, it makes all the difference in the world!!
For the tuna:
Recipe adapted from Jamie Oliver's Spice-Crusted Tuna Steaks with Cilantro and Basil
(we omitted the cilantro)
Ingredients
1 small dried red chile, stemmed
1 tablespoon coriander seeds
1 small garlic clove
1/2 cup finely chopped basil leaves (used extra due to no cilantro)
1/3 cup finely chopped cilantro omitted
Juice of 1 lemon
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
Vegetable oil, for brushing
Four 8-ounce tuna steaks about 1/2-inch thick (we bought one large tuna steak - just under a pound)
Directions
1.In a mortar, coarsely grind the chile with the coriander seeds. Add the garlic and mash to a paste. Stir in the basil, cilantro and lemon juice. Season the herb paste with salt and pepper.
2.Lightly brush a grill pan with vegetable oil and set it over moderately high heat until very hot but not smoking. Season the tuna steaks with salt and pepper and rub the herb paste all over both sides. Sear the tuna steaks for 1 minute per side for rare or until cooked to desired doneness. Serve at once.
Derek and I were debating. "Which is better: tuna raw or tuna seared?" (obviously not even throwing in the option of fully cooked tuna - not even a question)
Derek's thought is: seared. Hmmm...what a concept! I've been into the "raw is so much better" mindset lately - but he really had a point. Searing it obviously changes the entire flavor, but it really gives it MORE flavor, without losing the delicious flavor of the tuna meat. I'd like to do a side by side comparison. For me - I think it just depends on my mood!
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