Quick & Easy - Seared Tuna Salad with Tangy Sesame Dressing

It was a very important time in our household last week - Russell was going to be "cashing in" months of studying & preparation to take the MCAT.  That test is not only hard because of its content, but it's also hard because it takes hours; @ least they have removed the writing section.  So on the eve of the exam, he wanted a meal that would load him up with brain- & body-boosting nutrients so he could go into the test center in tip top form.  I wasn't sure what to make but Russell suggested tuna since it's full of Omega-3 fatty acid, it's tasty, & really quick to prepare.  With that as my guide, I decided to take the rest of the meal in an Asian direction; & instead of making our usual white rice to go with the fish, I went with a hearty, bright-tasting salad.

There are some kooky ingredients that might require a trip to the store...
     2 8-ounce sushi-grade tuna filets
     0.13 cup low sodium soy sauce
     1.5 teaspoons mirin
     1.5 teaspoons honey
     1.5 teaspoons sesame oil
     3 cups romaine lettuce, chopped
     1 cup cucumber, sliced into semi-circles
     1 avocado, sliced
     0.25 cup tangy sesame dressing*

Dinner will be ready in a flash...
     In a wide dish, mix together the soy sauce, mirin, honey, & sesame oil
     Generously coat each tuna filet in the marinade
     Heat a skillet until it is very hot & sear the filets for 30 seconds on each side
     Let the filets rest for 1 minute before cutting it into thin slices
     In a large mixing bowl, combine the romaine lettuce & cucumber & toss with the sesame dressing
     Place the sliced avocado on top of the salad once it has been plated & then place the tuna on top

Makes 2 servings

This meal was super light & it was filled with a whole bunch of good-for-you nutrients.  The salad by itself is fantastic & the zippy taste is great for waking up the palate, especially on those days when the weather is hot & you feel all "bleh."

I am not a huge fan of mayo but I do love me some Japanese mayonnaise.  Before you say they are the same thing, let me assure you that they are not!  Japanese mayonnaise is more yellow in color & it tastes a lot richer than regular mayo.  Plus, it comes in this squeeze bottle with a baby printed on it & it has a star-shaped opening for decorative dispensing!  If you are really against using mayo or if you just don't have any on hand, try substituting it with dijon mustard & halve the amount of rice vinegar.  I am also contemplating making the dressing using a bit of avocado next time, but that would require the usage of my mini blender.

I didn't slice my tuna into thin pieces because it was getting torn apart by the knife & that would not make an appetizing photo.  I know that to get a tender piece of steak, I am supposed to cut "across the grain", but what about slicing tuna?  I tried to go along with the segmentation on the filet but that also did not go well...Russell's plate looked like it had been "inspected" by Sheldon before dinner was ready.

* To make the tangy sesame dressing, vigorously whisk together 2 tablespoons toasted white sesame seeds, 1 tablespoons Japanese mayonnaise, 1 tablespoons rice vinegar, 0.5 tablespoons soy sauce, 0.5 teaspoon sugar, 0.25 teaspoon mirin, 0.25 teaspoon sesame oil, & a pinch of salt.