Seared Sesame Seed-Encrusted Yellow Fin Tuna Salad

For a long time, I avoided any preparation of fresh tuna.  Until I started eating it in restaurants, and learned that the only way to prepare it is to barely cook it, indeed merely to sear it, I would always overcook this delicious fish, which yielded nothing short of an extremely disappointing experience.


Taking advantage of the availability of some very fresh yellow fin tuna yesterday at a nearby grocer, I ventured out once again with this recipe and was very happy with the results. This dish was inspired by a similar seared tuna salad preparation at the popular Houston's restaurant.

I cannot over-emphasize the need for fresh fish here.  The only way you will know if fish it fresh is to smell it.  If it smells like fish, don't buy it.  And if your fish monger won't let you smell it, walk away.

Ingredients 
For the Tuna salad

2 4-oz tuna fillets of equal thickness (about 1-1/2").  Any "sushi-grade" tuna will do, but Ahi and Yellow Fin are the most popular and plentiful types
8 tbsp sesame seeds
4 cups salad greens, like Arugula and Mache
4 green onions, chopped
1/2 red bell pepper, finely diced
4 oz chunk goat cheese
2 tbsp canola or vegetable oil
salt & pepper to taste

Ingredients 
For the salad dressing

6 tbsp lime juice
6 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tbsp sesame oil
1 tbsp fresh grated ginger
1/2 tbsp Coleman's powered English mustard
1/2 tbsp dried orange peel
1/2 tbsp ground black pepper
2/3 cup olive oil

Ingredients for the Tuna dipping sauce

4 tbsp light soy sauce
4 tbsp rice wine vinegar
4 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp Wasabi paste
1 tsp dried or fresh cilantro (if dried, it's usually called coriander)
1/2 packet Splenda
black pepper to taste

The Recipe

First, toast the sesame seeds:

Place your sesame seeds in a dry skillet and place the skillet over a stove-top burner on high heat.  Continuously shaking the pan to keep the seeds in motion, toast them for 2-3 minutes. They will turn darker and you'll smell the nutty aroma.  If you see any smoke, you've gone too far. Turn out the toasted seeds onto a platter or paper plate and allow to cool.

Next, prepare the salad, dressing and dipping sauce:

Mix all the greens, red bell pepper and green onions in a large salad bowl.  Combine all of the salad dressing ingredients except the oil.  Whisk together well, then add the oil in a steady stream while whisking briskly to emulsify it.  Allow to sit a bit so the flavors amalgamate.  Then toss the greens with the dressing.  Pile the salad onto a dinner plate, and add the chunks of goat cheese on top or on the side of the salad.

Whisk all of the dipping sauce ingredients together and then pour into ramekins. Add this onto or next to your dinner plate when the dish is served.

Finally, sear the tuna and finish the dish:

I recommend using a cast iron skillet.  On medium high heat, bring the oil to a shimmer, almost to the smoking point.  Add a bit of salt and pepper to the surfaces of the fish, and then press each side firmly into the sesame seeds so they stick to the surface.

Carefully lay the sesame seed encrusted fillets into the hot oil and sear for two, but no more than 3 minutes per side.  Remove from the skillet onto a cutting board, and then carefully slice the fish against the grain into 1/2 inch slices.  Lay the sliced tuna next to or around your salad greens and serve along side the dipping sauce.