A few things to catch you up on my life before getting to the recipe. Bet you can’t wait!
First, we just returned from an exciting (in more ways than one, good and bad) trip to South Carolina. We stayed with Mom and Dad and spent a day and a half with Pam and Heman to celebrate Pam’s birthday. Pam is a Health Counselor for clean and healthy living. Check her out HERE!
We took the dogs and enjoyed, unfortunately, only one hour at the beach. We were busy the entire trip and before we knew it, had to eek in a short visit to the water before leaving the next day.
Shane loves the water, the waves, swimming with Ted, he’s such a water hound! Hard to believe there isn’t some Lab. hiding in that German Shepherd blood.
Zoey, on the other hand, isn’t sure of the water. She doesn’t like the crash of the waves but gets all upset being left out of the fun going on deeper in the water.
Second topic concerns our running the day after driving 8 hours home. My run was a long run of 20 miles. The only good thing about it was being able to run with friends. I suffered post travel stomach upset, cramping, tripped up on a bad road, and got a bit nauseous when the sun came out as it got a bit too warm. Good thing Shirley kept me going. It would have been easy to quit.
Ted took the dogs running this morning after I gave them a short walk to do their business. The walk with me did not do the trick. Zoey had an accident on the floor and Shane had to stop twice more since he apparently had a bad stomach as well. Ted ended up ditching the dogs at home then had a bad run with knee pain, ending up walking the last mile. Not a good confidence builder for the marathon two weeks away.
Now, brace yourselves… The Recipe!
Asian inspired Tuna with Watermelon over Field Greens
Pair the tuna pieces with watermelon cubes and put onto skewers for an impressive appetizer or follow the recipe below and serve six people a cacophony of flavors for a main dish sensation.
Inspired by Chef Ben Pollinger of Oceana Restaurant, New York City, receiver of the James Beard Foundation award. I found this recipe because Chef is coming out with a new book at the end of September “School of Fish” . I was searching for a good recipe book for fish. When we head to NYC in November, we will be dining at Oceana and getting the book signed by Chef. Can’t Wait!
Ingredients: *Original recipe used Octopus.
- 1/2 cup medium to hot salsa
- 1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce
- 2 tsp toasted sesame oil
- 2 tsp granulated sugar
- 1/2 tsp minced garlic
- 1/2 tsp fresh grated ginger
- 1 3/4 to 2 lbs. fresh tuna steaks, cut into 1 1/2 inch chunks
Vinaigrette
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
- 4 large basil leaves, chopped
- zest of 1 large lime
Watermelon
- 2 cups watermelon cubes
- 1/4 cup fresh lime juice – squeeze 2 – 4 limes
- 6 large basil leaves, chopped
- salt to taste
Directions:
Mix the salsa, soy sauce, sesame oil, sugar, garlic, and ginger. Pour over the tuna and allow to marinate for 1 hour.
In a medium bowl, combine the olive oil, rice wine vinegar, basil and lime. Set aside.
In a bowl, cover and gently stir to coat the watermelon with lime, basil and salt.
Preheat a high heat skillet/ stove top grill over high heat after rubbing with oil. Sear tuna on all sides, about 40 seconds per side. Remove from grill and place on a bed of greens with watermelon cubes in between each tuna slice. Gently drizzle with vinaigrette and serve.
Have you ever had a cookbook signed by the Chef/Author?
What cook book are you currently loving?
Seems like such a fun trip, who doesn’t love the water 😀
Well.. except Zoe 😛
Beautiful dish too, the watermelon must add such a wonderful freshness!
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
We did have fun but didn’t get enough time to spend by the water. Both dogs agree with me on that one.
I wish we had dogs that loved the water – instead, they’re both just big babies! Lol. But we love them nonetheless. 🙂
Heather – your pups are so cute. Shane has been a water dog since he was 8 weeks old. Zoey got started a little later, maybe that’s why she is more afraid of it although she is much more spooky than Shane so …who knows?!
All those Asian flavors on the fish, and then basil and lime on the watermelon. I never would have thought to combine fish plus watermelon, but now I’m intrigued. the School of Fish cookbook does look like a good one, let us know more what you think after you get the book! I have not had a cookbook signed, I should have thought ahead and done that at the food blogger conference I was at last weekend.