Seared Sesame Tuna with Mixed Greens

Mixed salad greens don’t love the extreme heat of summer. Instead, they thrive in the cooler temperatures of spring and fall. Fortunately, they are extremely easy to grow from seed in your own garden and they are readily available at local markets all year long.

This healthy salad makes the most of this late (or early) season bounty by pairing these tasty greens with a hearty portion of seared sesame tuna steaks. This salad is substantial enough to serve as a light main dish or it can be paired with blackened broccoli or a seasonal soup for a more substantial meal.

This recipe is included in December’s Family Favorites Menu Plan!  Click here to get yours.

Ingredients:

Asian Dressing:

• 2 T. sesame oil
• ¼ c. grapeseed oil
• 2 T. soy sauce
• 3 T. Rice wine vinegar
• 1 T. fresh lime juice
• 1½ T. Dijon mustard
• 1 medium shallot, finely minced
• 1 T. fresh ginger, very finely minced
• salt and pepper, to taste
  

Seared Tuna:

• two 8-oz. 2” thick tuna steaks, cut into 2” cubes
• 2 T. black sesame seeds
• 2 T. white sesame seeds
• 2 T. ground ginger
• 3 T. olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste

 

Serve with:

• soy sauce
• wasabi paste (optional)
• 4 cups mixed salad greens

Directions:

To make dressing, add all ingredients to a glass bowl and whisk until thoroughly blended. Taste and add more lime juice to brighten the flavors, if necessary. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.

Add sesame seeds and ground ginger to a large bowl and stir to combine. Add chunks of tuna to bowl and toss to coat. Press to make sure seeds adhere to tuna.

Heat olive oil in a skillet over high heat. When hot, add coated tuna to pan and flash sear on all sides, approximately 30 seconds per side. Remove from heat and season with salt and pepper, if desired.

To serve, add mixed greens to serving plates and top each plate with an equal portion of the seared tuna. Drizzle with dressing. (You can also toss mixed salad greens with dressing before plating, if desired). Serve with additional soy sauce and wasabi paste, if desired.