Seared Cajun Tuna

Intro

Tuna for me is like the beef of the sea and like beef, needs to be cook hot and short.  Cajun spices (salt, pepper, garlic, onion, oregano, hot pepper…) compliment tuna perfectly.   

Ingredients

  • 500g Tuna (Nice thick cut is best)
  • 1 ½ Tablespoons Smoked Paprika
  • 1 Tablespoon Sea Salt (Maldon is my go to)
  • 1 Tablespoon Garlic Powder
  • 1 Tablespoon White Pepper
  • ½ Tablespoon Onion Powder
  • ½ Tablespoon Dried Oregano
  • ½ Tablespoon Chipotle

Method

Place the tuna in the freezer for ½ an hour and take out.  This helps to stop the cooking process so we can get great searing without cooking all the way through. 

Roll the Tuna in the Cajun Rub.  

Sear on a hot skillet for 45 seconds each side.

Place Tuna in an container and put into the freezer for 5 mins.  This helps stopping the cooking process. 

Plating

I plated the tuna on a Royal Doulton Gordon Ramsey Maze everyday plate.

Seared Smoked Scallops

Intro

Scallops are in my opinion one of the most amazing shellfish available and when cooked right have a delicate texture that deliciously absorbs flavor.  Smoking is one of my favorite ways of cooking but added with a little searing at the end makes this meal a fantastic shared entrée.

Ingredients

  • 500g Scallops
  • ¼Teaspoon Sea Salt (Maldon is my personal preference)
  • ¼Teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
  • ¼ Teaspoon Ground Chipotle
  • 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
  • 1 Teaspoon Lemon Juice
  • 1 Small Hot Chili Pepper Sliced
  • 1 Small Bunch Coriander (Cilantro) Leaves
  • 1 Zest of a Lemon
  • 1 Pinch of Fried Shallots 

Method

Take the scallops, sea salt, black pepper, chipotle, olive oil and lemon juice and place in a sealed container and marinade overnight.

Fire up your favorite smoker or wood fire bbq and place the scallops in an indirect location (away from the heat) and let them smoke for 30 mins.

Remove the scallops and place in a bowl, add a small amount of olive oil before adding to a griddle for searing.  The griddle needs to be nice and hot and so the searing is only for literally 30 seconds each side.

After searing, place the scallops onto a plate or bowl adding the sliced chili, coriander, lemon zest and fried shallots for garnish.

Plating

I plated these scallops in a small bowl I purchased in a store on Kappabashi Street in Toyko, with a backdrop of my bbq cutting stump.