Week1: Follow up

Several people who read my original post suggested that I actually post the recipes (what a novel idea;-). So here is the recipe for the papaya slaw. 

Tuna Tataki with Green Papaya Slaw

Rob Feenie's recipe from Ocean Wise Cookbook

2 tablespoons (30 mL) vegetable oil

1 pound (500 g) tuna loin Salt and pepper Green papaya slaw:

1 tablespoon (15 mL) soy sauce

1 tablespoon (15 mL) rice wine vinegar

2 teaspoon (10 mL) yuzu juice

1 tablespoon (15 mL) vegetable oil

1 teaspoon (5 mL) fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon (5 mL) minced garlic

2 tablespoon (30 mL) julienne daikon (white radish)

2 tablespoon (30 mL) julienne carrot

2 tablespoon (30 mL) peeled, seeded, and julienne green papaya

1 teaspoon (5 mL) chopped Thai basil

1 teaspoon (5 mL) chopped mint

Garnish:

1 medium orange, peeled and segmented, membrane discarded

1 avocado, peeled, pitted, and diced

½ cup (125 mL) ripe papaya, peeled, seeded, and diced

1 tablespoon (15 mL) pine nuts Cilantro leaves 

Tuna: 

Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a large frying pan. Pat the tuna loin dry with paper towel and season it with salt and pepper. Lightly sear all sides of the tuna for 10 seconds each. Wrap it tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate. When it is fully chilled, slice the tuna loin into 1/4-inch (6 mm) slices. 

Mark's notes: We bought the tataki pre-cooked so so we skipped this step.

Green papaya slaw:

Whisk the soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, yuzu juice, vegetable oil, lemon juice, and garlic together in a small bowl. Season to taste with pepper. Put the julienne daikon, carrot, and green papaya, Thai basil, and mint in a large bowl. Pour the yuzu vinaigrette over the slaw (reserve about 2 tablespoons/30 mL for finishing) and toss until the slaw is well mixed and evenly coated.

To serve: Set out four plates. Mound the dressed green papaya slaw on each plate. Garnish it with the orange segments, diced avocado, diced ripe papaya and pine nuts. Fan the tuna slices over the slaw and drizzle it with the remaining yuzu vinaigrette. Top with whole leaves of cilantro.

Makes 4 servings.

Note: Yuzu is a Japanese citrus that tastes like a mix of lemon and lime. If you cannot find yuzu juice, lime juice is a good substitute. Green papaya is available at Asian supermarkets.

Mark's notes: We did not have yuzu juice so we just used orange juice. Plus our papaya was not really green and was actually quite ripe but it was still good.