Tuna Tataki (Oceania)

1 (about 1 tablespoon) green onion, thinly sliced on the diagonal

1 tablespoon ginger juice

3 tablespoons ponzu

2 tablespoons sesame oil

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 teaspoon white sesame seeds

½ lemon, sliced paper thin, then into half moons

1 tablespoon peanut oil

½ pound sashimi grade yellowtail or ahi tuna

Korean chili threads, for garnish

Combine all ingredients for the sauce into a small bowl. Heat oil in a wok or saute pan. When oil is shimmering and very hot, sear the tuna on each side. When all sides are seared, remove from the heat and allow to cool. Slice the tuna into ¼-inch pieces. Plate, alternating lemon slices with tuna pieces. Pour the sauce over the lemon and tuna, garnish with Korean chili threads, and serve.

Chef’s Tip: Ginger Juice When I was at Canyon Ranch researching their cuisine, a fellow Culinary Institute of America colleague and Executive Chef, Scott Uehlein, showed me this technique and it has been a favorite of our guests ever since. Grate the whole piece of ginger, skin and all, on a box grater – medium grate – over a dish, bowl or cheesecloth. Wring the shredded ginger out into a clean bowl and extract the juice. Use the required juice as a one-to-one equivalent in any recipe (1 teaspoon juice equals 1 teaspoon grated ginger). It’s such a time-saver and gets rid of those fibers that get stuck in your teeth.