Seared Furikake Ahi Tuna

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Ingredients:

1 lb. tuna steaks (about 1 inch thick)
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 T rice wine vinegar
1 tsp. honey
1 tsp. grated ginger
1 garlic clove, grated
1/2 tsp. sesame oil
3/4 cup Furikake seasoning
2 T vegetable oil
Green onions, sliced

Sauce:
1/4 cup Kewpie mayonnaise
1 tsp. Hoisin sauce 

Preparation:
Combine sauce ingredients and set aside.

Mix together soy sauce, vinegar, honey, ginger, garlic and sesame oil.  Pour mixture over tuna and marinate 20 minutes.  

Spread furikake seasoning on plate.  Remove tuna from the marinade and press each steak into the furikake, coating all sides with a thin layer. 

Heat vegetable oil in a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat.  Once hot, sear tuna for 60-90 seconds per side leaving center rare. Let rest 2-3 minutes then slice tuna steaks into thin slices and top with green onions.  Serve with cooked white rice.

History:
Recipe was posted on Facebook and attributed to Guy Fieri although I couldn’t find the recipe on-line.

Artichoke Dip Grilled Cheese Sandwich

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Ingredients:
4 Slices country style bread
398 ml(14oz) artichoke hearts
80 grams(1/4 pound) baby spinach
1 garlic clove
100 grams(1/4 pound) mozzarella cheese
Potato chips
85 grams(1/4 pound) Sour Cream

Olive oil and Salted Butter

 Preparation:

Setup:  Chop the garlic.  Drain and rinse the artichoke hearts and roughly chop.

Make the artichoke mixture:  In a pan over medium-high heat add a drizzle of olive oil.  Add the garlic, spinach and artichoke hearts.  Cook for 2 to 3 minutes and transfer to a bowl.  Add the sour cream and season with salt and pepper.

Assemble the Sandwiches:  Divide the artichoke mixture among half of the slices of bread.  Garnish with the cheese and close with another slice of bread.

Cook the Sandwiches:  In a pan over medium heat, add a tablespoon of butter.  Cook the sandwiches 4 to 5 minutes on each side or until the cheese has melted.

Plate the dish:  Serve the sandwiches with chips.

Stir Fried Chicken and Vegetables

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Ingredients:

1 chicken breast, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 small red bell pepper, cut into strips
3/4 cup broccoli spears
3/4 cup snow peas
1 small carrot, pealed and grated
8 mushrooms, sliced
6 Tablespoons chicken broth
3 Tablespoons soy sauce
1 Tablespoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon sesame oil
2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 Tablespoon grated fresh ginger
1/2 teaspoon Mongolian Chili Oil

Preparation:
Whisk together 2 Tablespoons broth, 2 Tablespoons soy sauce, 1/2 Tablespoon cornstarch and sesame oil in medium bowl.  Set sauce aside.  Toss chicken pieces in remaining soy sauce, cornstarch and 1 tablespoon vegetable oil to coat in a large bowl.

Heat 1 Tablespoon vegetable oil in wok over medium-high heat until just smoking.  Brown chicken about 5 minutes.  Transfer to plate and tent with foil.

Add broccoli, snow peas and carrots and remaining chicken broth to wok and cook, covered, until broccoli begins to soften, about 2 minutes.  Uncover and cook until liquid evaporates.  Stir in remaining vegetable oil, bell pepper, and mushrooms and cook until spotty brown, 3 to 4 minutes.  Add ginger, garlic and chili oil and cook until fragrant, about 30 minutes.  Whisk sauce to recombine and add sauce, chicken marinade and chicken to wok.  Cook until thickened.

Serve with cooked white rice.

Smalec (Polish Bacon Lard Spread)

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Ingredients:

2 pounds pork fat back

1 pound fatty bacon

2 cups finely diced sweet onion

1 Granny Smith apple

1 large garlic clove, finely minced

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon salt

Preparation:

Cut fat back into half inch cubes and spread out on a cookie sheet.   Chop bacon into half inch pieces and place on another cookie sheet. Place both into freezer until partially frozen (about 45 minutes).  Remove from freezer and place in small batches into food processor and chop into small pieces 1/4 inch or less. Be sure to keep bacon separate from fat back.

 

In a Dutch kettle or large pan over medium heat add just the pork fat.  Cook slowly rendering until all shite fat turns to liquid and and bits (cracklings) start turning  brown (roughly 60 minutes).  Add bacon pieces and continue rendering until bacon bits start browning, 30 minutes or so.

Peel and shred apple and finely chop onion.  When bacon bits start to brown, add onions and apple and continue to saute until onions are golden brown.  Add minced garlic, pepper and salt.  Stir well for a few minutes more.

Transfer mixture to clean ramekins or clean canning jars.  Stir occasionally while cooling to prevent cracklings from going to bottom.  Mixture will solidify when cold.  Refrigerated, Smalec will keep several weeks.

Spread Smalec on rustic bread or spread on thin sliced rustic bread and toast under the broiler until browned.  I really like sautéing potatoes in Smalec or add a tablespoon or so to green beans.  YUM!