Cooking for Two - Bruce Weinstein [46]
Two 6-ounce salmon fillets
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, or 2 teaspoons dried cilantro
¼ cup mayonnaise (regular or low-fat, but not nonfat)
1 ½ teaspoons lime juice
1 small garlic clove, crushed
½ teaspoon chili powder
¼ teaspoon salt
1. Position the rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 500°F. Rub the flesh and skin of the salmon fillets with the olive oil. (Doing this will also allow you to check for bones, so rub carefully but thoroughly. If you find any bones, pull them out with your fingers or a pair of tweezers.) Coat the flesh of the fillets with the chopped cilantro.
2. Mix the mayonnaise, lime juice, garlic, chili powder, and salt in a small bowl until uniform. Spoon this mixture on top of the fillets, spreading it out to cover the flesh.
3. Heat a large, oven-safe skillet, preferably cast-iron, over high heat. Add the fillets, skin side down. Shake once to make sure they don’t stick; if they do, loosen gently with a spatula. Cook for just 1 minute, then place the skillet in the oven and bake for 5 minutes, or until the glaze is set and the salmon is cooked but still pink in the center. You can also check for doneness by inserting a knife into the flesh, then touching the side of the blade gently to your lips; it should feel warm. Serve at once.
SESAME TUNA STEAKS makes 2 servings (with about cup sauce)
Make sure you buy sushi-quality tuna, the freshest you can find. Look for ruby-red, almost translucent fillets or steaks without brown or white spots.
FOR THE SAUCE
6 tablespoons water
1½ tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons rice vinegar (see page 12)
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 medium scallion, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon peeled, minced fresh ginger
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes, Or more to taste
1 tablespoon lime juice
FOR THE TUNA
¼ cup sesame seeds
1 teaspoon salt, preferably a coarse salt such as kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Two 6-ounce sushi-grade tunasteaks, about 1 inch thick
3 tablespoons olive oil
1. To make the sauce, stir 1 tablespoon water with the cornstarch in a small bowl until pastelike; set aside. Mix the remaining 5 tablespoons water, the rice vinegar, sugar, soy sauce, scallion, ginger, red pepper flakes, and lime juice in a small saucepan set over high heat until the sugar dissolves. Bring to a boil, then whisk in the prepared cornstarch mixture in a slow, steady stream. Continue cooking and whisking about 10 seconds, or just until thickened. Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the lime juice. Transfer the sauce to a serving bowl and cool to room temperature. The sauce can be made in advance; store it, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
2. To prepare the fish, position the rack in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 450°F. Spread the sesame seeds on a dinner plate. Coat each tuna steak with 1 tablespoon olive oil, massaging the oil into the fillet. Lay one steak on the plate; press down to coat with the sesame seeds. Turn, press again, then roll the sides in the sesame seeds. Set aside and repeat with the other tuna steak. Season both with salt and pepper.
3. Heat a large, oven-safe skillet, preferably cast-iron, over medium-high heat. Swirl in the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil, then gently lay the tuna steaks in the pan. Cook for just 30 seconds. Turn with a wide spatula, taking care not to scrape off the sesame seed coating. Cook for an additional 30 seconds, then place the pan in the oven and bake for 3 minutes for rare (red and warm inside), 4 for medium-rare (pink and hot), or 6 for medium (cooked through). Besides cutting the steaks open to check, you can also insert a dinner knife into the thickest part of the flesh, hold it there for 10 seconds, then gently touch the side of the knife to your lips. It should be slightly