I am a huge New York Giants fan, so I have to dedicate this dish to the soon-to-be SuperBowl champs.
When I was growing up, the Giants were everything to me. The days of Lawrence Taylor, Phil Simms and, of course, the Big Tuna, Coach Bill Parcels, were monumental for a kid growing up in the mid-80s.
I am totally psyched for the Giants for making it to the Super Bowl, and just as psyched that the Dolphins now have the "Big Tuna" on their side going forward.
Seared yellowfin tuna burger with lemon aioli
Makes 4 servings
1 1/2 pounds sushi-quality yellowfin tuna, chilled
2 tablespoons of shallots, minced
1 1/2 tablespoons of cilantro, chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoons of low-sodium soy sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons of jalapenos, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons of fresh ginger juice
1 teaspoon of sesame oil
1 tablespoon canola oil
Salt and freshly ground white pepper to taste
On an exceptionally clean cutting board, using a sharp chef's knife, slice the tuna as thinly as possible. Dice and then finely chop the tuna and place in a stainless-steel bowl set in a larger bowl filled with ice to keep the ingredients cool during mixing.
Next add the shallots, cilantro, olive oil, soy sauce, jalapenos, ginger juice and sesame oil and mix gently. Season with salt and pepper.
Next, form the tuna into patties and transfer them to a pan lined with waxed paper and place in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. Then, in a non-stick sauté pan, heat the canola oil over high heat until it is very hot but not burning and cook the burgers for 2 minutes on each side.
Lemon aioli
2 tablespoons of mayonnaise
1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon of lemon zest minced
1 teaspoon of Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground white pepper to taste
In a mixing bowl, combine all ingredients and whisk together until well blended.
Tips and techniques
. Medium rare is the optimum temperature for the burgers.
. Use a spatula to carefully
flip them.
. When seasoning, keep in mind that soy sauce is salty.
Contact Chris Kennedy at Seasoned Catering at (561) 351-0221, or e-mail chris@seasonedcatering.com.