This Asian-inspired recipe for fresh tuna is quick and perfect for a weeknight dinner. The mild-tasting, firm-fleshed fish is basted with an easy-to-make teriyaki sauce and topped with a flavorful cilantro and green onion salad. Serve with steamed rice and stir-fried veggies. Enjoy!

Note: I used ahi tuna (frozen then thawed) that I bought at Trader Joe’s.  

Tuna Teriyaki with Scallion Salad
-recipe from Fine Cooking Magazine 

Tip: If your scallions are large and strong-flavored, slice them as thinly as you can and soak them in ice water for 10 to 15 minutes. Dry the scallions on paper towels before making the salad.

Serves four.

6 Tbs. soy sauce
3 Tbs. firmly packed dark brown sugar
1 tsp. finely grated fresh ginger
1 medium clove garlic, finely chopped
1 tsp. Asian sesame oil
4 6-oz. tuna steaks, 1 inch thick
1/8 tsp. ground cayenne
8 slender scallions, dark green parts only, trimmed and thinly sliced diagonally (about 3/4 cup)
1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves
2 Tbs. rice vinegar

Make the teriyaki sauce:
Bring the soy sauce, brown sugar, ginger, and garlic to a boil over medium-high heat in a small saucepan. Boil until the mixture has thickened slightly, about 2 minutes. Stir in 1/2 tsp. of the sesame oil.

Broil the tuna:
Position an oven rack 5 to 6 inches from the broiler element and heat the broiler to high. Line the bottom of a broiler pan with foil and replace the perforated top part of the pan. Season the tuna on both sides with the cayenne and arrange on the broiler pan. Broil the tuna for 2 minutes, brush generously with the teriyaki sauce, and broil until the glaze sets, about 2 minutes longer.

Turn the tuna over with a spatula and broil for 2 minutes, brush generously with the teriyaki sauce, and broil until the tuna is pale pink in the center or to desired doneness (cut into a piece to check), about 2 minutes longer. Brush with any remaining teriyaki sauce.

Meanwhile, stir together the scallions, cilantro, vinegar, and the remaining 1/2 tsp. sesame oil. Transfer the tuna to serving plates, top with the scallion salad, and serve.

Tags: Asian, fish, fresh cilantro, fresh ginger, green onions, homemade teriyaki, scallion salad, scallions, Seafood, sesame oil, soy sauce, teriyaki, tuna, tuna steaks

As much as I love trying new recipes, there’s a few I make over and over again because they are delicious and reliable. Grilled Citrus Salmon is one of those recipes. It’s simple yet special enough to serve at a dinner party. If you don’t have a grill, no big deal…just bake it in the oven. Enjoy!

p.s. I know it’s not the best photo. We had company over for dinner and I was in a hurry to serve the salmon. As always, the salmon was a hit!

Grilled Citrus Salmon
- recipe from From Portland’s Palate, A Collection of Recipes from the City of Roses
The Junior League of Portland, Oregon

Makes 6 servings.

1 ½ Tbl. freshly-squeezed lemon juice
2 Tbl. olive oil
1 Tbl. butter
1 Tbl. Dijon mustard
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 dashes cayenne pepper
2 dashes salt
1 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. dried dill
2 tsp. capers
3 lbs. fresh salmon fillets

In a small saute pan over medium heat, combine lemon juice, olive oil, butter, mustard, garlic, pepper, salt, basil, dill, and capers. While stirring, bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.

Place salmon fillets skin-side down on a piece of heavy-duty foil with edges folded up, to make a pan. Pour sauce evenly over fish.

Place fish on grill and cover with lid.

Barbecue over medium-hot coals for 10-12 minutes, depending on thickness of fillets. Fish will be flaky and light pink in color when cooked.

Note: As an alternative, wrap fish in foil and bake in a 350 degree oven for 15-20 minutes.

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Tags: capers, dijon mustard, garlic, Grilling/BBQ, lemon, olive oil, salmon

If you like the flavors of wasabi and ginger (which I do!), you’re going to love this recipe! You get a little zip from the wasabi without it knocking your head off, plus a little zing from the ginger and lime. This is a great summer recipe, and tastes like something you’d order in a restaurant!

The salmon cooks quickly on the grill so don’t wander off or you might end up with blackened, over-cooked salmon (not tasty!). For the mayonnaise mixture, add the wasabi paste last, tasting as you add it until you get the flavor/zip factor that you like. Enjoy!

Grilled Salmon with Wasabi-Ginger Mayonnaise
-recipe from Fine Cooking Magazine

You can find wasabi paste and powder at Asian groceries, or try the Asian section of your supermarket. Serves four.

1-1/2 limes
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1-1/2 Tbs. wasabi paste; more to taste
2 tsp. finely grated fresh ginger
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 6-oz. skinless salmon fillets
Vegetable oil for the grill

Prepare a medium-hot grill fire (be sure the grill grate has been scrubbed clean with a wire brush).

Cut the half lime into four wedges and set aside. Finely grate the zest from the whole lime. Cut the zested lime in half and squeeze the juice from one half into a small bowl (save the other half for another use). In a medium bowl, combine 1 tsp. of the lime juice with the lime zest, mayonnaise, wasabi paste, ginger, and 1/4 tsp. salt. Stir to combine. Taste and add more wasabi paste if you’d like a zippier flavor.

Run your finger along each salmon fillet to feel for tiny bones; use tweezers or needlenose pliers to pull out any that you find. Season the fillets lightly with salt and pepper. Spoon about 2 Tbs. of the mayonnaise mixture onto the salmon fillets and refrigerate the rest. With your hands, spread the mayonnaise in a thin layer over all sides of the fillets.

When the grill is ready, oil the grill grate using tongs and a paper towel dipped in oil. Grill the salmon until crisp and slightly charred on one side, about 4 minutes. Turn and continue to grill until the salmon is just cooked through, another 3 to 6 minutes. Serve the salmon topped with a dollop of the mayonnaise and a lime wedge on the side. Pass the remaining mayonnaise at the table.

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Tags: ginger, Grilling/BBQ, lime, mayonnaise, Quick Cooking, salmon, wasabi paste