Lemongrass Seared Ahi Tuna with Asian Salsa Recipe

Preparation: Prepare tuna by trimming away any skin or dark flesh, as if you were trimming the loin for steaks. Combine the lemongrass, coriander , peppercorns , and salt in a bowl. Pour out onto a pan. Make sure the loin of tuna is dry. Roll it in the spices, coating all sides. In a pan large enough to fit the length of the tuna loin, heat the peanut oil till it begins to smoke. Sear all sides of the tuna loin to a golden brown. It should take approximately 2 to 3 minutes per side. Remove from pan and chill in the freezer for up to 2 hours or until it firms up. (Longer than 2 hours will freeze it throughout, and it will become hard to slice.) Meanwhile lay out the sliced bread onto a pan and drizzle with a light tasting oil. Bake at 200 to 225 degrees F in an oven till crisp and dry. Slice the loin of ahi tuna as thin as possible and arrange on a slice of toast. Top with a spoonful of salsa. To make the salsa , combine tomatoes , red onions , cilantro , green onions , mushrooms , lemon juice, lemon zest, oil, soy sauce , sesame oil, peppercorns, salt, and pepper. Allow to marinate for a minimum of 30 minutes. Yield: 6 to 8 servings Recipe Source: Chef Arnold Eric Wong, EOS Restaurant & Wine Bar , San Francisco, California Reprinted with permission.