Volume 8, Issue 109 - June 9, 2005

Hello Recipe Club,

One of today's recipes calls for tuna. Tuna steak stays moist and flavorful when it's cooked quickly, and pan-searing over high heat is ideal. This method seals the juices inside and gives the outside an appetizing caramel-colored crust. Tuna is a very muscular fish with a dense and meaty flesh. It has a nice oil content that makes the fish moist and delicious. Tuna can be prepared several ways including grilled, seared or pan fried.

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Grilled Fish in Banana Leaf

This recipe illustrates the popular use of banana leaves as a food wrapper in Asia. Aluminum foil works well as a substitute.

Serves 4 as part of an Asian multi-course menu

Ingredients:

3 garlic cloves
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
2 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander root
1 slice fresh ginger, quarter sized crushed
1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 pounds whole snapper or striped bass or 4 whole trout
1 large banana leaf (or more if needed)
vegetable oil (for oiling leaf)

Chile Lime Sauce:

3 small green serrano chiles seeded and finely chopped
3 garlic cloves
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro leaves
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup fresh lime juice
1/3 cup chicken stock

Preparation:

In a mini food processor, add the garlic, peppercorns, coriander root and ginger; process into a fine mince. Transfer into a mortar and pound into a smooth paste, add soy sauce and blend thoroughly. Clean fish and pat dry with paper towel. Rub garlic mixture over entire fish, set aside for 30 minutes.

Choose a banana leaf about 6 inches longer and 3 times wider than the fish. Rinse leaf with cold water to clean. Plunge leaf into a pot of boiling water for a few seconds to soften. Wipe dry. Using a knife or scissors, remove the thick spine in the leaf. Place the leaf with its glossy side down on a work surface. (Use more leaves if needed.)

Brush oil on the leaf where the fish will lie. Set the fish with the marinade on the oiled surface. Fold over the wide sides overlapping at the top and secure with toothpicks. Turn over package, fold over ends to enclose sides and secure ends with toothpicks to make a neat parcel. Set packet about 3 inches above medium high heat coals and grill each side for 8 to 10 minutes.

Note: If using trout, marinate the 4 fish together. Wrap each 1 individually and reduce the grilling time to about 3 minutes on each side.

Transfer to a serving plate. Open leaf and serve with accompanying sauce.

Chile Lime Sauce:

In a mortar or a mini food processor, add the chiles, garlic, coriander leaves, sugar and salt, pound (or chop) into a smooth paste. Put chile mixture into a saucepan with lime juice and stock, bring to a quick boil and allow to cool.

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Tuna with Tangerine Butter Sauce

Ingredients:

2 teaspoons chopped fresh basil
2 teaspoons chopped fennel leaves
2 teaspoons chopped fresh tarragon
2 tablespoons chopped Italian parsley
1/4 cup olive oil
2 each (6 ounce) pieces fresh tuna
1/2 cup tangerine juice
1/4 cup butter, cold
whole basil leaves
whole fennel leaves
whole tarragon leaves
whole parsley leaves
2 each chives with blossoms

Preparation:

Combine chopped basil, fennel leaves, tarragon, parsley and olive oil in small bowl. Grill tuna over hot coals until brown on outside and pink inside, 1 to 2 minutes, depending on thickness, basting often with herb olive oil mixture. Keep warm.

Bring tangerine juice to boil in small saucepan. Whisk in butter, bit by bit, until sauce coats back of spoon. Arrange whole herb leaves in center of each plate. Spoon sauce over the herbs to cover each plate. Place tuna over herbs. Garnish each with chive stem.

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Red Chile Pesto Clams

Ingredients:

60 clams
12 ancho chilies, dried
12 New Mexico red chilies, dried
1/2 cup pine nuts
10 large cloves roasted garlic
zest of 2 lemons
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons oregano, fresh
juice of 2 limes
5 cups fish stock, or clam juice
12 sprigs cilantro

Preparation:

Scrub the clams and discard any open ones. Clams that have a strong odor or are heavy (indicating that they contain sand) are likely to be dead and should also be discarded.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Roast the dried chilies in a large skillet, over medium high heat, for 4 to 5 minutes, turning frequently to avoid burning. Remove the stems and seeds and place the chiles in a large bowl. Pour boiling water over them, cover, and let sit until they are very soft, about 40 minutes.

Roast the pine nuts in the oven for about 8 minutes or until golden, stirring occasionally.

Place the chilies, roasted garlic, lemon zest, 1/4 cup of olive oil and oregano in a food processor or blender and purée until smooth. Add the remaining 1/4 cup of olive oil and blend thoroughly. Add the pine nuts and process until coarsely chopped. Season to taste with lime juice.

Place the clams in a large pan, over medium high heat, with the fish stock or clam juice. When the clams open, remove them from the cooking liquid. Reduce the liquid by half, then whisk in the chile pesto. To serve, divide clams evenly between four soup bowls, pour the pesto mixture over them and garnish with cilantro leaves. Serve immediately.