Sake Marinated Tuna with Sesame Crust and Peppercorn "Yum Yum" Sauce

Well, I'm back.  I haven't been cooking much that's exciting lately but as it's a Friday night I felt like being creative.  

I love seared tuna.  This recipe is simple yet elegant enough to serve at a dinner party.  Just double or triple the recipe as needed.

I like to serve this with a little Napa cabbage braise/sauté and Forbidden Rice.   It makes for a beautiful plate and a delicious dinner for two.   

The Peppercorn "Yum-Yum" sauce takes a little help from the store.  It's okay to cheat now and again, both with your diet and your cooking shortcuts.  Hey, everyone is super busy, right?

Oh, and I like to plate this with a little bottled ginger sauce.  Not only do you get both flavors of the ginger and the Yum Yum sauce like you do in the restaurants, but it looks pretty on the plate. 

BTW - try adding a little soft honey butter to your rice and water when cooking your Forbidden rice.  You'll be glad that you did. 

Enough chit chat.  Here you go!

Ingredients:

1/4 cup dry sake, divided
2 teaspoons light soy sauce, divided
1 teaspoon bottled minced ginger
1/2 teaspoon garlic paste (fresh garlic, chopped and smashed into a paste)
2 center cut tuna - about 5 1/4 ounces each - cut about 2 inches thick
1 ounce Sesame seeds                                  

For the sauce:

1/4 cup bottled Yum Yum sauce
1 teaspoon mixed peppercorns, crushed

1/4 cup green onions/scallions sliced, for garnish

Canola oil for coating skillet

Bottled ginger sauce for plating (optional)

Directions:

Pat tuna dry.

Combine 1/4 cup of the sake, the soy sauce, ginger and garlic in a non-reactive container.  Whisk to combine.

Add the tuna steaks, cover, and shake to coat.  Refrigerate until ready to prepare; marinate for at least 30 minutes. 

Remove tuna from marinade and pat dry. 

Place sesame seeds into a pie pan.   Coat all sides of each tuna cut, pressing the seeds into the flesh of the fish.

Coat heavy skillet, preferably cast iron, with canola oil.  Heat to smoking hot.

Sear tuna on both sides, about two minutes each main side and thirty seconds on ends for a rare center, three minutes each main side for medium rare.  

Let rest for a few minutes before slicing.

Mix peppercorns into the bottled Yum Yum sauce. 

Want a zippier sauce?  Add more peppercorns!

Enjoy and I'll see you soon.