Maui Ahi Tuna
Today’s guest post is going to make us all a little warmer during these cold, wintry months! Kendra is sharing with us a Hawaiian Dish that comes from the Island of Maui! I would love to try this dish but even better if I was in Maui, don’t you think?
Bringing some Maui Ahi Tuna Home to the East Coast
During my stay in lush and verdant Maui, I was introduced to a decadent recipe that changed my thinking all together of what Hawaiian food is supposed to be. Served at the Lahaina Grill Restaurant, this Maui Onion and Sesame Seed Crusted and Seared Ahi Tuna, with vanilla-bean jasmine rice and apple cider and soy butter vinaigrette, has stayed with my thoughts incessantly since returning home to the East Coast. Now, I’ve got my friends back home begging for it just like I was, weeks ago, in paradise.
[print_recipe]
Ingredients
Steps
- 1
Toss 1 lb. of sliced Maui onions into 2 tbsp. of oil, in a hot skillet over medium-high heat, until lightly caramelized. Set them aside. Then, heat 1 tbsp. of olive oil in the same skillet. While heating, roll the tuna filets through the dehydrated onions and sesame seeds until all sides are liberally oated. When the oil sizzles at being touched by the fish, start cooking them on both flat sides and even up on their sides. They're done when all sides are browned and the insides still appear red (for optimum medium rare). Set them aside to rest.
- 2
Bring all the ingredients for the rice to a boil over medium-high heat, then cover the pan and lower the heat to a low simmer. When all of the liquid has been absorbed, move the pan off of the heat and fluff quickly with a fork before recovering it. If liquid remains at the bottom, leave covered over low heat for a few more minutes or until remaining water is absorbed or evaporated.
- 3
As the rice and tuna rest, mix together the 4 cups of apple juice and cider vinegar, then cook over medium heat until these 4 cups are reduced to about 0.5 cup. Just as the mixture cooks down to this level, add the butter, margarine and balsamic vinegar slowly and continue to cook over medium heat. Finally, blend the mixture with a few pulses to fully meld all the flavors.
Arrangement:
- 4
Heap the jasmine rice in the center of a serving platter, with the tuna steaks and caramelized onions on top. Then pour the vinaigrette over the entire offering, followed by the uncooked, chopped chives and enjoy!
