Ahi Tuna Salad with Wasabi Dressing

Friday night after a long work week and I was tired!  Didn't feel like cooking.  Wished I had brought a salad home instead....however, I bought Ahi and had to assemble my own salad.  I blanched some green beans first in boiling water, for about 10 minutes and then soaked them in ice cold water.

I drained the water and put them back in the fridge after cold.  They were crisp tender.

I would have liked a "Nicoise" salad but I wasn't eating eggs at this time and I had no potatoes in the house.

I decided to to make an Asian dressing.  I used:

• 2 teaspoons of wasabi powder
• 3 tablespoons of rice wine vinegar
• 3 tablespoons of avocado oil
• 1/2 teaspoon of toasted sesame oil
• 2 tablespoons of low sodium soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon of minced ginger
• 1 tablespoon of brown sugar
• 1 clove of garlic, minced 
• Fresh cracked pepper
• Toasted sesame seeds (I used about a tablespoon)

I shook this up in a jar and then put it in the fridge.

I had some cucumber, red onion, grape tomatoes, seasoned roasted seaweed (I used this for garnish on the salad)

and organic spring mix salad to go with the green beans and tuna.

I sliced the red onion thin and then soaked it in some rice wine vinegar and water to try and take the sting out of it (it worked).  I let it sit there for an hour.

I mixed all the ingredients in a big bowl and put it back in the fridge.

As I went along doing all this prep work, I felt less tired and dinner turned into not being a chore.  Cooking really does relieve my stress and perhaps the glass of wine helped too.  It's always better if I make something delicious though.  😏

My Ahi steak was 6 oz.  I had two so did them both at the same time.  I seared this in my cast iron skillet.  I did this very basic this time.  I patted the tuna dry with paper towels and seasoned with fresh cracked pepper and Diamond Crystal kosher salt.

I heated the cast iron until very hot, then put a tablespoon or so of avocado oil in.  I seared for a minute on each side, then set it aside to rest for 10 minutes, tented with foil.

At that time, I cut across the grain in thin slices.  It's easy to see which way the grain runs.

I tossed the dressing into the salad and then plated.  I garnished with the seaweed and then put the tuna on top.

This was as delicious as I was hoping for.  The tuna didn't need any seasoning other than S&P and it was tender and flavorful.  The dressing was perfect and was just the right amount so the salad was not overdressed.  The wasabi and garlic flavor developed as it sat in the fridge.  Everything was in harmony and I really enjoyed it.  Ahi is expensive here so I was glad I didn't screw it up.  I have more left for lunch tomorrow as my son doesn't like it - not a fan of "raw" fish.  Silly kid...