New Wave Marinated Ahi Salad
This salad is a study in contrasts, hot and cold, crisp and soft. The trick is to have everything ready before you begin to sear the fish. Assemble everything at once, adding the greens and noodles at the last minute.
Ingredients
- Marinade
- Soy Sauce - 1/2 cup
- Vegetable Oil - 1/4 cup
- Mirin or Sweet sherry - 2 tablespoons
- Asian sesame oil - 1/4 teaspoon
- Fresh Cilantro - 1/4 teaspoon, minced
- Green Onions - 2 tablespoons, thinly sliced
- Garlic - 1 tablespoon, minced
- Ginger - 1 tablespoon, minced
- White Pepper - 1/4 teaspoon, ground
- Chinese five-spice powder - 1-1/2 teaspoons
- Black Sesame Seeds - 1 tablespoon
- Hawaiian or Thai chili pepper - 1, seeded and minced, or 1 pinch red pepper flakes
- Soba Noodles - 6 ounces
- Ahi tuna fillets - twelve, 2-ounce, about 1/2-inch thick
- Olive Oil - 1/4 cup
- Peanut Oil - 1/4 cup
- Flour tortillas - 4
- Mixed baby greens - 4 handfuls (4 ounces)
- Garnish
- Carrot, beet, and radish curls*
- Fresh cilantro sprigs - 4
- Cucumber - 4, slices
- Black Sesame Seeds - 2 tablespoons
- Macadamia nuts - 1/2 cup, chopped
- Creamy Oriental Dressing (recipe follows)
- Creamy Oriental Dressing (Makes 2-1/2 cups)
- Fresh Orange Juice - 2 cups
- Sesame seeds - 2 tablespoons, toasted
- Sugar - 3 tablespoons
- Salt - 1 tablespoon
- Peanut or canola oil - 1/2 cup
- Vinegar - 3 tablespoons
- Soy Sauce - 2 tablespoons
Instructions
Combine all the marinade ingredients in a shallow bowl and blend well. Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil and boil the noodles until just tender to the bite, 5 to 6 minutes. Drain and rinse well in cold water; drain again. Toss the noodles with 1/2 cup of the marinade. Cover and refrigerate for 20 to 30 minutes.
Marinate the ahi in the remaining marinade for 5 minutes. Drain and pat dry with paper towels. In a large saute pan or skillet over high heat, heat the olive oil and saute the ahi for 1 minute on each side. The fish will be raw inside.
In a deep saute pan or skillet, heat the oil until it ripples. Using tongs, drop a tortilla in the hot oil and cook for 30 seconds, or until bubbles form in the top of the tortilla. Turn and cook for 20 seconds, remove, and drain on paper towels. Repeat with remaining tortillas. Set aside and keep warm.
To serve: Place a fried flour tortilla on each salad plate, then arrange a handful of salad greens on top. Place some cold noodles on top of the greens, then arrange 3 fish fillets on top of that. Garnish with the vegetable curls, cilantro, cucumber, tomatoes, sesame seeds, and nuts. Pour salad dressing over the top of each salad.
*Pare the carrot and beet, then slice each vegetable into long curls on a Japanese-style slicer.
Creamy Oriental Dressing
In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients and whisk together until creamy. Store, covered, in the refrigerator up to 3 days.
