Lime Seared Tuna with Wasabi Cilantro Drizzle

Wow! Coming back from the west coast has inspired me once again! I spent the afternoon putting the finishing touches on the manuscript for Superb Maine Soups. It set my mind to percolating. I saw some beautiful tuna steaks at the market and one thing led to another. Back at home in the kitchen this recipe evolved to a delightful conclusion. Sherwood almost licked his plate clean. I love it when that happens. Hope you enjoy it too.
Wasabi Cilantro Drizzle
2 teaspoons prepared wasabi paste- or more to taste
juice of half a lime
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 Tablespoons finely chopped cilantro
2 teaspoons pure maple syrup
3/4 cup plain whole milk Greek yogurt
Whisk all ingredients together. Chill until ready to serve. The maple syrup reduces the tang of the yogurt. If you like the tangy-ness you can omit the syrup.

Lime Seared Tuna
Marinate two tuna steaks in the juice of half a lime. Sprinkle with a little salt and pepper. Let sit for half an hour. Turn them a couple of times or marinate them in a ziploc bag. Heat your pan til it's very hot. Drizzle with olive oil and add a little pat of butter. Place the tuna in the pan carefully. Sear the tuna on all sides just until it's slightly caramelized but rare. Drape with the wasabi cilantro drizzle and serve immediately.

Lemon- Yogurt Ceasar Dressing

Happy to be home! We spent the last week on the left coast visiting with my brother Todd and his amazing fiance Rebecca. We Love Rebecca! While we were gone there was some interesting weather here in Maine. The National Guard closed Main Street because high winds were blowing bricks off of the buildings downtown. Our county and the entire state of Maine both were in a state of emergency. The airlines were all discombobulated- so we had to delay returning for two days. That gave us time to enjoy even more food!
We had some wonderful meals out in sunny California. Tommy's was fantastic; Home magnificent; DeLessio divine; and San Tung consistently delicious. I'll be sharing information about each place over the next few days. Tonight we are recovering from jet lag and lack of sleep. Dinner was simple and healthy. No more indulgence for a little while (though I admit- I'm having a couple of spoons of chilled chocolate ganache while I write.)
I was in the mood for salad this afternoon- We brought the sun back with us from out west- it was a beautiful spring 70. I couldn't help that sooo-ready-to-get-my-hands-in-the-dirt feeling I always get when the weather turns warm. Rising Tide had some of the first local organic mesclun I've seen this year. Here is a recipe for dressing that is delicious and Caesar-y without all the fat of regular dressing.
Lemon-Yogurt Caesar Dressing
In a small nonreactive bowl place the following ingredients:
the juice and zest of half a lemon
1 teaspoon Tabasco sauce (or your favorite pepper sauce)
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 clove of garlic- pressed or finely minced
1/2 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup freshly grated aged provolone or Parmesan cheese
using a microplane- grate 1/2 a granny smith apple- this must be so fine it's almost mushy
1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
1 teaspoon pure maple syrup
1 Tablespoon rice vinegar
notice the distinct lack of any oil here...
Whisk all together until completely blended. Place clean washed greens on top of the dressing in the bowl. Use a rubber spatula or two to toss the greens to coat with the dressing. Scrape all of the bits up from the bottom of the bowl. Serve piled high on a chilled plate.
Top with Maine Shrimp (that have been marinated in lemon and garlic) and sauteed in a bit of olive oil until just cooked through.
-Savor. Linger. Enjoy!
-Cynthia