Pan-Seared Tuna with Ginger-Shiitake Cream Sauce

Bon Appétit  | February 1999

yield: Serves 6

Ingredients

• 6 6-ounce tuna steaks, each about 1 inch thick
• 2 tablespoons peanut oil

• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1/3 cup thinly sliced green onions
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped peeled fresh ginger
• 4 garlic cloves, chopped
• 8 ounces fresh shiitake mushrooms, stemmed, caps sliced
• 6 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 1/2 cups whipping cream
• 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• Lime wedges (optional)
• Fresh cilantro sprigs (optional)

Preparation

Preheat oven to 200°F. Sprinkle 1 side of tuna steaks with pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in heavy large skillet over high heat. Place tuna steaks, pepper side down, in hot oil and sear 2 minutes. Turn tuna over and continue cooking to desired doneness, about 2 minutes for rare. Transfer tuna to rimmed baking sheet; keep warm in oven.

Add butter, sliced green onions, cilantro, ginger and chopped garlic to same skillet and sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Mix in mushrooms and soy sauce and simmer 30 seconds. Add whipping cream and simmer until sauce lightly coats back of spoon, about 3 minutes. Stir in lime juice. Spoon sauce onto plates; arrange tuna atop sauce. Garnish with lime wedges and cilantro sprigs, if desired.

Beef and Andouille Burgers with Asiago Cheese

Bon Appétit  | July 2001

LOVE these burgers.  All of the flavors together are out of this world!

INGREDIENTS: 
4 oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon whole-grain Dijon mustard
8 ounces andouille sausages,* cut into 1-inch pieces
2 1/2 pounds ground beef (15% fat)
2 large shallots, minced
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons ground black pepper
1 teaspoon fennel seeds, crushed
6 large sesame-seed hamburger buns
6 1/3-inch-thick slices red onion
Olive oil
1 cup coarsely grated Asiago cheese**
1 7- to 7 1/2-ounce jar roasted red peppers, drained

PREPARATION:

Finely chop sun-dried tomatoes in processor. Blend in mayonnaise and mustard. Transfer to small bowl. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover; chill.)

Finely chop andouille sausages in processor. Transfer to large bowl. Add beef, shallots, salt, pepper, and crushed fennel seeds. Stir with fork just until blended. Form mixture into six 1-inch-thick patties.

Prepare barbecue (medium-high heat). Grill hamburger buns until golden, about 2 minutes. Transfer to platter. Brush onion slices with oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill until golden, about 7 minutes per side. Grill hamburgers to desired doneness, about 5 minutes per side for medium-rare. Sprinkle cheese over top of burgers.

Spread cut sides of hamburger buns with sun-dried-tomato mayonnaise. Top bottom halves of buns with hamburgers, then red peppers. Top with onion slices. Cover with top halves of buns and serve.

*Smoked pork-and-beef sausages, sold at specialty foods stores and supermarkets. Kielbasa can be substituted.

Jamaican Jerk Burgers with Orange-Chipotle Mayonnaise

 Bon Appétit  | September 2002

We served these with spinach orzo salad, complimented nicely. AMAZING burgers!

Orange-chipotle mayonnaise

• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 3 tablespoons orange juice
• 1 tablespoon minced canned chipotle chilies*

Jerk sauce

• 1 bunch green onions, coarsely chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
• 1 small habañero chili or 2 medium jalapeño chilies, seeded, chopped
• 1 garlic clove, peeled
• 1/2 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon ground allspice

• 2 pounds ground beef (15% fat)

• 6 sesame-seed hamburger buns, toasted
• 1 onion, thinly sliced
• 3 tomatoes, sliced
• 6 romaine lettuce leaves

For orange-chipotle mayonnaise:
Mix all ingredients in small bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

For jerk sauce:
Finely chop first 4 ingredients in processor. Add sugar and next 3 ingredients; process until almost smooth. Season with salt and pepper.

Prepare barbecue (medium-high heat). Set aside 3/4 cup jerk sauce. Shape ground beef into six 1/2- to 3/4-inch-thick patties; place in 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish. Pour 1/2 cup jerk sauce over patties and turn to coat; let stand 20 minutes.

Sprinkle patties with salt and pepper. Grill to desired doneness, brushing occasionally with remaining jerk sauce, about 4 minutes per side for medium.

Spread mayonnaise over cut surfaces of buns. Place burgers on bottom halves of buns. Top with onion slices, tomato slices, lettuce, and bun tops. Serve, passing reserved 3/4 cup jerk sauce separately.

* Chipotle chilies canned in a spicy tomato sauce, sometimes called adobo, are available at Latin American markets, specialty foods stores, and some supermarkets.