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

This company-worthy dish is beautiful, super simple and perfect for spring! You won’t believe how easy this recipe is! The silky sauce that tops the salmon is slightly tangy, slightly sweet and slightly spicy. YUM! I’ve never had Javanese cuisine before, but let me tell you…I’m loving this salmon!!!

Make sure you buy salmon fillets that are all about the same size so they cook evenly. To make cleanup easier, cover the baking pan with tin foil.

Also, if you’re like me and you dig spinach then you’ll want to double or triple the greens so you get plenty of them. It’s amazing how a huge bag of spinach cooks down to just a small portion. Serve the salmon and spinach with steamed jasmine rice. Enjoy!

Javanese Roasted Salmon and Wilted Spinach
-recipe from Saucebox, Portland, OR as it appeared in Bon Appétit Magazine, September 2002

Spicy sauces with sweet-and-sour flavors are popular in Javanese food and, in this case, pair deliciously with salmon. Makes 8 servings.

1/2 cup (1 stick) plus 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
1 large garlic clove, minced
1/2 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
1/2 cup fresh lime juice
1/2 cup soy sauce
2 teaspoons cornstarch dissolved in 2 teaspoons water

8 7-ounce salmon fillets

2 6-ounce bags baby spinach

Preheat oven to 400°F. Melt 1/2 cup butter in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add crushed red pepper and garlic and stir until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add sugar; whisk until mixture is melted and smooth and begins to bubble, about 4 minutes. Whisk in lime juice and soy sauce. Increase heat and boil until reduced to 1 1/2 cups, about 2 minutes. Add cornstarch mixture and boil until thick, about 3 minutes. Set sauce aside.

Melt 1 tablespoon butter in heavy large skillet over high heat. Working in batches, cook salmon until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to baking sheet. Spoon 1 tablespoon sauce over each fillet. Roast until fish is opaque in center, about 5 minutes.

Melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter in large pot over medium-high heat. Add spinach and toss until wilted but still bright green, about 3 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Using tongs, divide spinach among 8 plates. Top each with salmon fillet; drizzle with remaining sauce and serve.

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Tags: Bon Appetit Magazine, Javanese cuisine, Javanese Roasted Salmon, Quick Cooking, Saucebox, Saucebox Restaurant in Portland, Seafood, wilted spinach

I cooked swordfish last night for the first time in ages. I was recently flipping through Ina Garten’s Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics cookbookwhen I came across her recipe for Indonesian Grilled Swordfish. I had heard good things about her Indonesian Chicken recipe so I decided to give the swordfish version a try. Boy, am I glad I did! The ginger-lemon-soy marinade gives the firm fish a wonderful flavor…the whole family liked it.

I let the swordfish marinate for about 6 hours before I grilled it. I served the fish with steamed rice and grilled yellow summer squash (marinated in a little olive oil, sesame oil, soy sauce and rice vinegar). Yumm!

Indonesian Grilled Swordfish
-recipe from Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics by Ina Garten

Makes 6 servings.

1/3 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup canola or peanut oil, plus extra for brushing on the grill
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest (2 lemons)
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/4 cup minced or finely chopped ginger root
2 tablespoons minced garlic (4 cloves)
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
6 (8-ounce, 1-inch thick) swordfish steaks
Kosher salt

Combine the soy sauce, canola oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, ginger root, garlic, and mustard in a bowl. Pour half the sauce in a low flat dish that’s just large enough to hold the swordfish in one layer. Place the swordfish on top of the sauce and spread the remaining sauce on top. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or preferably overnight.

Thirty minutes before you’re ready to serve, build a charcoal fire or preheat a gas grill.

When the coals are medium-hot, brush the cooking grate with oil to prevent the fish from sticking. Remove the fish from the marinade, allowing some of the ginger to cling to the fish, and discard the marinade. Sprinkle the fish generously on both sides with salt and place it over the coals. Cook for 5 minutes on each side, just until it’s no longer pink in the middle. Place on a platter, cover tightly with aluminum foil, and allow to rest for 10 to 15 minutes. Serve hot or warm.

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Tags: Asian, dijon mustard, garlic, ginger root, Grilling/BBQ, Indonesian, lemon, Seafood, soy sauce, swordfish