I’m not sure how it happened.  Ahi Tuna on sale for $6.99 a pound.  Text message…go there.  Do not pass go, do not collect $200 dollars…just bring home Tuna.  I have to say, I was a bit skeptical.  This was not Sushi grade tuna, for which we will pay up for.  But it was fresh and thick and begging for a swim in marinade.

Seared Ahi Tuna {with Thai Risotto}.

We marinated this gorgeous slab of tuna in a sweet & spicy marinade.  Soy (but not much), ginger, honey, rice wine vinegar, Serrano pepper, sesame oil, cilantro.

If I were a dude I would be quite proud of these grill marks.  Leaving it at that!

There was a debate over what side-dish to serve with, or as a bed for, our Seared Ahi Tuna.  At the suggestion of risotto, I crinkled up my nose…not sure creamy cheesy works here.

YOU are Lemony Thyme.  Change it and make it work.  Yes! I love that vote of confidence.  Thai Risotto with red curry paste and coconut milk it is.

Risotto is a process, one that is well worth each step.  I took my Basic Risotto Recipe with step-by-step how-to’s and subbed in coconut milk and Thai red curry paste for the liquid and aromatics.

The result was glorious.  Fabulous.  And all the other adjectives for delicious.  The tuna paired perfectly.  We reduced the remaining marinade and drizzled it over the dish.  Please make this.

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Seared Ahi Tuna with Thai Risotto

Prep Time 1 hour hour 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 55 minutes minutes

Servings 2 -3

Author Libby with Lemony Thyme

Ingredients

For tuna & marinade…

• 3/4 lb. Ahi tuna
• 3 Tbl. rice wine vinegar
• 2 Tbl. sesame oil
• 2 Tbl. peanut oil
• 2 Tbl. soy sauce
• 2 Tbl. honey
• 2 Tbl. fresh ginger grated
• 2 Tbl. cilantro chopped
• 1 Serrano pepper thinly sliced
• 1 Tbl. peanut or other high-heat oil for searing

For Thai risotto…

• 2 Tbl. butter
• 1 cup fine diced onion
• 1/2 cup Arborio rice
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 2 Tbl. red curry paste
• 1/4 cup dry white wine optional
• 1 14- ounce can light coconut milk
• 1 cup chicken or vegetable broth
• salt & pepper to taste

Instructions

For the tuna & marinade…

• Combine marinade ingredients in a zipper top bag. Add tuna and marinate for 1 hour. Meanwhile, prepare your Thai risotto.
• When the risotto is ready, heat your grill or grill pan to medium high. Coat with high-heat oil. Sear tuna for 1-2 minutes, then quarter-turn it on the same side for criss-cross grill marks, for another 1-2 minutes. Flip and repeat on other side, depending on thickness. Remove from heat and allow to rest for 5 minutes. Slice on the diagonal and serve on a bed of Thai risotto.

For the risotto…

• In a 2-quart saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons of butter over medium-high heat. Add the diced onion and sauté until translucent, about 4 minutes.
• Add rice and cook 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly, until rice is opaque. Add the garlic and red curry paste, stir until fragrant, about 1 minute.
• Add the white wine and cook, stirring, until absorbed.
• Add 1/2 cup of coconut milk to rice and stir continuously until absorbed. Continue adding 1/2 cup coconut milk at a time, stirring continuously until absorbed after each addition. Continue until all milk has been added, about 20 minutes. Test rice for tenderness. If additional liquid is needed add broth in 1/2 cup increments. Season with salt & pepper to taste.

The post Seared Ahi Tuna with Thai Risotto appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

Thai Beef Salad.

What a lovely way to enjoy a good piece of beef.  I know most recipes call for using lean flank steak.  And while I’m sure that’s very nice on this salad, on the rare occasion that we have steak, I prefer the most tender cut I can find.  And that would be a filet.  Grilled to medium-rare.  Sliced nice and thin.  It was that thought alone that inspired this recipe post.  Every bite of this Thai Beef Salad is a flavor explosion.

For both the marinade and the dressing, it’s all a matter of taste.  If you lean more towards sweet, you can add a little extra brown sugar or honey.  If you like spicy, sriracha is a fantastic way to add a little heat.  And whatever you do, don’t skimp on the fresh herbs.  The fresh cilantro, mint, and basil leaves are essential.  If you take the route I did and opt for a filet, limit the marinade time to no more than 4 hours.  Whereas flank steak will love to go overnight.

Thai Beef Salad is a lovely lunch or light dinner and would be fantastic for entertaining.  The steak can be grilled in advanced and sliced before serving.  Enjoy.

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Thai Beef Salad {with Fresh Herbs}

Course Salad Entree

Cuisine Thai

Servings 2

Author Libby with Lemony Thyme

Ingredients

For the marinade…

• 2 Tbl. soy sauce
• 1 Tbl. fish sauce
• 1 Tbl. fresh lime juice
• 1 Tbl. fresh orange juice
• 1 Tbl. canola oil
• 1 tsp. red curry paste
• 1 tsp. grated fresh ginger
• 1 tsp. brown sugar
• 1 Thai or Serrano chile, sliced
• 1 garlic clove minced
• 1 Tbl. fresh cilantro leaves
• 1 Tbl. fresh mint leaves

For the salad…

• 6- ounces flank steak or filet mignon
• 3 cups mixed greens
• 1/2 cup fresh herbs like cilantro mint, and basil; reserve 2 Tbl. for garnish
• 1 radish thinly sliced
• 1 Fresno pepper matchstick sliced
• 8-10 snap peas
• 2 scallions thinly sliced
• 2 Tbl. peanuts
• Cherry tomatoes halves (optional)
• Cucumber sliced (optional)

For the dressing…

• 2 Tbl. fresh lime juice
• 2 Tbl. fresh orange juice
• 2 Tbl. sesame oil
• 1 Tbl. soy sauce
• 1 tsp. rice vinegar
• 1 garlic clove minced
• 1 tsp. grated fresh ginger
• 1 Thai or Serrano chile, seeded and minced

Instructions

• Combine marinade ingredients in a zipper top bag, add steak. Marinate in the refrigerator for 2 – 24 hours.
• Grill steak until medium-rare. Allow to rest 15 minutes, then thinly slice.
• Combine dressing ingredients and reserve.
• Combine salad ingredients in a medium bowl. Toss with 2-3 Tbl. dressing. Divide salad between two plates. Top with sliced steak. Garnish with fresh herbs, then drizzle with a little extra dressing.

Notes

Steak will need to marinate from 2 – 24 hours before grilling.

Thai Beef Salad can even be served open faced on a homemade bagel as a midnight snack.  If anyone wanted a midnight snack.

The post Thai Beef Salad {with Fresh Herbs} appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

Thai Red Curry Paste is becoming a go-to ingredient for me.  It seems to find it’s way into Salmon Burgers, Meatloaf, Soups, and certainly Curry dishes.  It’s a wonderful flavor…not too hot, just uniquely red curry. 

In fact it took discovering Thai Curry dishes (Pla Choo Chee to be exact) to open my taste buds to the other types of curry (click here for a wonderful write up on Curry Powders by one of my favorite bloggers Veggie Belly).  I remember as a kid Mom trying desperately to sneak curry into our favorite comfort foods.  Our immature taste buds were not ready for curried deviled eggs or curried potato salad….what a shame.  And poor Mom, who I’m sure loved curry, was so hoping she could convert us.

After a full weekend of cooking (and eating/drinking) we were looking for something light and healthy.  Incorporating these beautiful baby squash from a local farm stand was a plus.

That being said we didn’t want to sacrifice flavor, and that’s where Thai Red Curry Paste came in to play.  You can take a beautiful mild white fish, some fresh diced veggies, a few punchy seasonings and aromatics, pour in a can of lite coconut milk (just 50 calories per serving) and smell your kitchen come to life.  Serve with Jasmine rice and fresh cilantro…….aaaahhh!

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Thai Red Curry White Fish {with Squash & Zucchini}

Course Seafood

Cuisine Thai

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Author Libby with Lemony Thyme

Ingredients

• 1 lb. filet of thick white fish Cod, Haddock
• 2 Tbl. olive oil
• 2-3 Tbl. Thai red curry paste
• 1/2 onion diced
• 6-8 baby carrots julienned
• 1 small zucchini sliced
• 1-2 small summer squash sliced
• 1 serrano pepper fine diced
• 1/2 ” fresh ginger thin sliced
• 1 garlic clove minced
• 1 tsp. hot curry powder adjusted to taste
• 1 14 oz. can lite coconut milk
• 1/2 tsp. sea salt or to taste
• scallion and cilantro to garnish

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
• In large skillet heat olive oil over medium heat. Add chili paste, stir to combine.
• Add onion and carrot, saute 3-4 minutes, then add zucchini, summer squash, and serrano pepper, saute an additional 3-4 minutes.
• Add ginger, garlic, and curry powder, coconut milk; stir to combine. Season with sea salt.
• Pour mixture in a baking dish. Lay fish filet on top, spooning broth over fish. Bake for 12-15 minutes until fish flakes easily with fork.
• Serve with Jasmine Rice.
• Garnish with sliced scallion and fresh cilantro.

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