Sunday, October 19, 2008

Weekend Update: Seared Ahi Tuna, Poki, Grilled Cheese, and Chicken & Wild Rice Soup

This past week I spent most of my time in Champaign, cutting my cooking time at home short. However, I still made some pretty tasty dishes.


Seared Ahi Tuna & Salad and Salmon Poki


Grilled Goat Cheese Sandwiches

Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

Making the seared ahi tuna and poki:

I had to start at the very beginning because Glenn looks so cute picking out avocados. Typically, when we're at the grocery store, Glenn and I try to split up the list in each section and we split up. But I followed him in the produce section to take a picture of him picking out avocados. He's really good at picking out the ripe avocados. And usually, he happens to pick out the least bruised ones. How? I have no idea.

At home, I made the marinade for the tuna. Which included sesame seed oil, low-sodium soy sauce, salt, and pepper. I don't have any measurements available because I just throw the ingredients together and taste to see if somethings lacking or too overpowering.
Here are the tuna steaks from Costco. It's a ridiculously good deal.
So I pour the marinade all over the tuna steaks and place them in the fridge while I prepare the rest of the ingredients.
Next, I prepare the salad. I cut up cherry tomatoes in half, peel and slice a cucumber, and cube some avocado.

While Glenn rinses and dries the mixed greens in our awesome salad spinner (see below) I make the salad dressing.
For the salad dressing, i whisk together some sesame seed oil, fresh lemon juice, salt and pepper. I think next time I'll put some honey to temper the acidity. Although, Glenn says the more lemon the better.

After marinating the tuna steaks, I heat up my grill. While the grill is heating up, sprinkle some black sesame seeds on both sides of each steak. Place on the hot grill. I only cook the tuna for a couple of minutes on each side so that the middle is left raw. Not everyone likes raw foods, but trust me, the tuna turns dry and gross if overcooked. bleh.



However, mine turned out perfect and delicious!


Ok my fifteen minute writing time limit is up. I have to get back to studying. But I promise to finish this entry as soon as I study for a bit. It's called time management! woo woo!

Weekend Update continued:

I don't have time to put up the step by step pictures for making Poki or the soup, so I'll just post the recipes.

Salmon Poki:
  • sashimi grade salmon
  • minced green onion
  • soy sauce
  • sesame seed oil
  • black sesame seeds
Cube the salmon. Place in a bowl. Pour in soy sauce and sesame seed oil. Mix. Add green onions and black sesame seeds. Mix. Done!

Some recipes called for red pepper flakes but I didn't feel like having any spice that night.

I actually just modified this recipe for Ahi Tuna Poki:

  • 4 cups ahi (yellowfin tuna, sashimi grade) diced
  • 1/2 cup onion, minced
  • 1/4 cup green onion, minced
  • 1 cup soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons sesame oil
  • Hawaiian salt and pepper to taste
Chicken and Wild Rice Soup:

  • 2 quarts chicken broth
  • 1/2 pound fresh mushrooms, chopped
  • 1 cup finely chopped celery
  • 1 cup shredded carrots
  • 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
  • 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon granules
  • 1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1/4 cup butter or margarine
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
  • 1/2 cup dry white wine or additional chicken broth
  • 3 cups cooked wild rice
  • 2 cups cubed, cooked chicken
  • Nonfat Half & Half (my addition to the recipe)
Directions:
  1. In a large saucepan, combine the first nine ingredients. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 30 minutes.
  2. In a soup kettle or Dutch oven, melt butter. stir in flour until smooth. Gradually whisk in broth mixture. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Whisk in soup and wine or broth. Add Half & Half Add rice and chicken; heat through.
** I added the Half & Half because I wanted a creamy soup and it just wasn't creamy enough.
The other recipes for "Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup" called for 1/2 a cup or more of butter. That's just way too much butter for me. So instead, I just added milk.

Turned out pretty good, except I put too much rice. Still tasty though.

Serves 12.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Holy crap Gen, when did you start cooking? This stuff is intense. Even I don't make this stuff. Well, sometimes, but not anymore. Maybe I'm just passed the honeymoon stage with cooking. HAHA. Keep it up so I can steal your recipes.