Elegant and Easy -Tuna Crudo With Peach & Jalapeno

Crudo is my latest in a long string of cooking obsessions. Why? Well first, I love fish, so any dish that starts with it as the main ingredient is ok in my book. Second, and most compellingly, Crudo is one of the easiest things you can make because it is, as the name suggests, raw. All you're really doing is assembling a collection of very high quality ingredients on a plate. Trust me, the payoff in both taste and elegance far exceeds the effort you'll invest.  

       

Tuna Crudo with Peach, Scallion and Jalapeno, Photo: NK 

Case in point, how beautiful is this? 


The idea for today's Crudo came to me after a trip to our local fishmonger. I always quiz the good folks there on what's freshest, and on this particular day, with Crudo in mind, I asked what fish they had on hand that was sushi-grade. The Tuna you see above had just come in and, I was told, promised to be particularly great. The price tag, on the other hand, not so great, but fish is one thing I never skimp on, and the wonderful thing about Crudo is that you don't need very much. 4-6 ounces of high quality Tuna will feed four, so for twelve bucks (compare that to just one 16 dollar or more restaurant appetizer), I walked out a very happy lady.

The rest of the ingredients dawned on me as I pondered some of the flavor profiles I most enjoy with fish. With maki as my inspiration, I decided to use a bit of Jalapeno for spice. Thinking seasonally, some very gorgeous Peaches I'd bought the day before were hitting peak ripeness. I opted to incorporate them (sliced very thinly), for both color and sweetness. I always enjoy balancing sweet and savory. For texture, I julienned Scallions (the white part mostly). They also impart a little bit of zest. 

I cannot resist reiterating that for Crudo (and many other simply conceived fresh dishes) the quality of your ingredients is absolutely key to creating a successful, restaurant quality dish - and for today's recipe, particularly important (besides, of course, the fish) is the olive oil. Choose a fruity or bold extra virgin olive oil depending on your preference. Click HERE to see the one we like (it falls on the bold, medium-bodied side). Sardinian Sea Salt is my new go-to when I'm looking for flavor. Put it all together and you're sure to get raves on this dish that is as visually striking as it is delicious. 

Let's get to it.

Tuna Crudo With Jalapeno & Peaches
Serves 4 

Ingredients: 
4-6 Ounces Sushi Grade Fresh Tuna
1/2 a very ripe Peach, very thinly sliced 
2 Limes, cut in half
1 Jalapeno, seeded and finely minced 
High Quality Extra Virgin Olive Oil
High Quality Sea Salt
2-3 Scallions, the white part cut into very fine strips (as above)
Cilantro Leaves, optional

Method:
To Assemble:
Set out four small serving dishes. 
Squeeze the juice of half a Lime into each dish.
Arrange the Tuna on top as pictured.
Add thin slices of Peach on top.
Sprinkle minced Jalapeno on top.
Scatter a few strips of Scallion as well.
Drizzle it all with a bit of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Finish with a dusting of Sea Salt. 

Optionally garnish with Cilantro and any extra Lime Wedges

Serve right away and enjoy!!

One Sexy Salad - Grilled Apricot, Burrata, Prosciutto & Arugula

I wasn't planning to feature salads again so soon after my last post, but this salad was begging to be shared. It was totally sexy and very delicious. I am trusting that most food enthusiasts will know what I mean here. Does this salad purr to you like it does to me? 

Grilled Apricot, Burrata, Prosciutto and Arugula with Balsamic Reduction, Photo: NK

Whether you call this a dish or a salad, it's a great accompaniment to a light summer supper. On its own with a few slices of grilled bread, it makes for an impressive light lunch. The best part? It works well with many different fruits and even meats, so you can adjust it to what's in season. This dish is really a perfect example of how a few ingredients of superior quality can conspire to make something so easy that tastes and looks amazing. Enjoy, and get sexy with it. 

What you'll need:

In Season Summer Stone Fruit - Peaches, Apricots, Nectarines or Plums. Pears, though not a stone fruit, are a great option for winter.  I've been loving Apricots lately, so I went with those. 

Burrata Cheese - Burrata is heavenly. It's not the same as buffalo mozzarella or really mozzarella at all. Picture a white ball of soft, cheesy perfection with a runny, buttery inside that tastes rich and light all at the same time. More about the wonders of Burrata: The Uncanny Tastiness of Burrata

Arugula and Radicchio - I like to use Wild Arugula because the leaves have a really striking shape. Baby Arugula would also work well. Radicchio has a bitter taste so adjust the proportions of it to your palate and cut it into very thin ribbons so it doesn't overpower the dish. Radicchio provides red ribbons of color that look gorgeous amid the green bed of arugula, colorful stone fruit, and oozy, creamy burrata. 

Prosciutto or other thinly sliced Cured Meat - Buy imported Prosciutto if you can. 

Balsamic Reduction - Don't skip this easy to prepare, make-ahead component that adds instant wow-factor and a very important flavor that ties the dish together. The balsamic drizzle is also key from a visual standpoint.

The Recipe:

Grilled Apricots with Burrata, Prosciutto and Arugula

Serves 8

Adapted from Food and Wine - Travis Lett

Ingredients:

6 or 7 stone fruits of your choice, pitted and halved 

1/4 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil plus more for brushing on fruit before you grill

1.5 Tablespoons fresh Lemon Juice 

Sea Salt and freshly ground Pepper

1/2 a small head of Radicchio, cored and sliced into thin ribbons

5 Oz of Baby Arugula or Wild Arugula

3/4 Lb Burrata Cheese (one or two large rounds work best) cut into chunks

1/3 Lb sliced Prosciutto or other thin sliced cold cut of your choice (Country Ham, Speck)

1/2 Cup Balsamic Vinegar   

Method:

Prepare your Balsamic Reduction - This can be done one or two days ahead if you prefer. Simply bring the 1/2 Cup Balsamic Vinegar to a rapid boil over medium heat, swirling the pan occasionally. Continue to boil for 5 minutes or more until the liquid reduces and becomes quite syrupy. Remove from heat, cool, and pour into an airtight container. If not using immediately, refrigerate.

Brush Fruits on the cut side with oil. Set on a grill or grill pan over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes until lightly charred. Set aside to cool.

Mix up Dressing separately in a small bowl - Combine Lemon Juice, Olive Oil, and Salt and Pepper to taste. Mix thoroughly.

Toss Arugula with Radicchio in another large bowl. Add Fruit and slowly add dressing to bowl. You may not need to use all of the dressing, so drizzle it and toss salad gently until you have the desired amount. 

To Assemble: Lay the Arugula and Radicchio mixture in small clusters on a large platter. Arrange grilled fruits to your liking around the platter. Dot with Burrata and add slices of Prosciutto that have been rolled up. Drizzle everything with the Balsamic Reduction. 

Enjoy!