Pan-seared Tuna Steaks with Ginger-Soy Marinade

Now that I'm finally feeling healthy again, I am itching to get back into the kitchen and cook something. Something other than chicken noodle soup. Now, I love chicken noodle soup. There is truly nothing better when you're sick. There is something about the combination of steamy, aromatic broth and copious amounts of garlic that really packs some healing power. But, alas, it's all I've eaten for the past four or five days and I'm ready for a change.

We've had some nice Ahi tuna steaks in our freezer that we picked up from Whole Foods last week, but postponed cooking them because I came down with the flu. I wasn't about to waste the subtle and delicate flavors of good tuna on my congested (read: unable to smell or taste) palate.

So, we've got these tuna steaks. And, upon inspecting the depths of our pantry a bit further, it appears that we have fresh lemon, soy sauce, fresh ginger, and a handful of other ingredients. The tuna's fate is clear: a simple marinade and some pan-seared action. Zesty and flavorful with nary a chicken or a noodle in sight.

Serve these over a bed of fresh salad greens or with a side of sautéed bok choy or mushrooms (Asian varieties like shiitake or enoki would work well).

Pan-seared Tuna Steaks with Ginger-Soy Marinade (Makes 2 tuna steaks)

Ingredients

1 tablespoon lemon juice

2 tablespoon sesame oil (olive oil will work if you don't have sesame oil on hand)

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black peper

1 tablespoon fresh peeled ginger, minced

2 Ahi tuna steaks, approximately 5 ounces each, cut approximately 1 inch thick

2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped (optional)

Handful of scallions, chopped (optional)

Preparation

Whisk lemon juice, sesame oil, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, black pepper, and ginger in a bowl to blend. Place tuna steaks in a glass baking dish. Pour marinade on top of tuna steaks, turning to coat. Marinate for 2-3 hours, turning occasionally. Remove tuna steaks from marinade and drizzle 1 tablespoon of sesame oil in a large skillet. Heat skillet over high heat. Add both tuna steaks to skillet and cook about 3 minutes on each side for medium rare. Remove from heat and garnish with fresh cilantro and scallions, if desired. Serve immediately.