sesame-crusted tuna with ginger sake cream.

By now, you may have figured out that I'm kiiiind of a sauce person. But what if I told you that I recently sampled what was potentially one of the best sauces I've tasted, like, ever?

I know, I know. I'm starting to look like The Girl Who Cried the Best Sauce Ever. Pretty soon, the big bad Best Sauce Ever Wolf is going to come eat me, and no one's going to listen to my cries.

But not this time. 

Because this ginger sake cream sauce... is seriously... out of this world.

Sweet, salty, gingery, tangy and creamy, I literally stood by the pan and almost drained the entire pot of it with a spoon before it even graced the tuna steaks that are also a part of this dish. Interestingly enough, I was flanked by my father, who was partaking in the exact same behaviour. 

And had I not been stopped by a shocked and innocent bystander (my mother) I may have been satisfied with the entire pot of sauce as my dinner. 

A soup, of sorts, perhaps.

Oh, and the sesame-crusted tuna steaks weren't too shabby, either. The original recipe, from Whitewater Cooks With Friends, called to sear them for two minutes on each side, which was evidently too long given our steaks' width, as they weren't as much seared as they were grilled. 

If you want them seared (as I'm sure they'd be at their best!) keep an eye on them as they're searing and alter the time below to your liking, as it will vary based on various widths, etc. We picked up fresh tuna steaks from a Victoria fishery and it made all the difference in the world.

If you're a fan of fresh seafood, asian-inspired flavours and creamy sauces, make this immediately and never look back. And don't blame me if you start to dream about this sauce being drizzled all over literally everything in your life. 

(I'm considering speaking to a therapist.)

Sesame-Crusted Tuna with Ginger Sake Cream

from Whitewater Cooks with friends 

Serves 6:

To buy:

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced

1/2 medium onion, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

2 tbsp rice vinegar

1/4 cup fresh squeezed lime juice

4 tbsp sake

1 tsp sriracha chilli sauce

1 tsp honey

1.5 cups whipping cream

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

6 6 oz tuna steaks

1/2 cup toasted sesame seeds

To Do:

- Heat 2 tbsp of oil in saucepan.

- Add ginger, onion and garlic and saute for about 5 minutes until soft.

- Add vinegar, lime juice, sake, chilli sauce and honey, and simmer until liquid has almost evaporated, for about 10 minutes.

- Add whipping cream and simmer until reduced by half, about 30 minutes.

- Strain sauce, through strainer, over a pot.

- Season sauce with salt and pepper and keep warm.

- Place toasted sesame seeds on plate, press both sides of tuna into seeds firmly.

- Heat remaining oil in saute pan to medium-high heat.

- Add tuna and sear, turning once, cooking at 2 minutes per side.

- Sesame seeds should be browned, tuna rare.

- Slice tuna into half-inch slices, or serve* in a whole piece drizzled with ginger sake cream.

*We served ours with sauteed bok choy (sauteed with some of the strained ginger and onions from the sauce) and basmati rice. Enjoy!