My Asian-fusion Seafood Feast

Since living in Australia, my cooking has definitely been influenced by our proximity to Asia.  I'm really enjoying experimenting with different ingredients and techniques.  The food is healthy, I love the complex flavors, and I can't find anything wrong with eating a ton of seafood!

After a quick run to the market, I stopped by my favorite asian grocery, picked up a few things, and headed home to prepare my seafood feast.  I gathered together all of my 'asian ingredients' and waited for inspiration. 

I decided on pan-fried ginger scallops, tuna tartare over fried rice, and tuna and mango sashimi cups.  I had intended to make another small dish - something with shrimp and shitake mushrooms but my ideas were bigger than my stomach and I'd have to save those shrimp for something else!

As only the sashimi cups, scallops, and fried rice require cooking, you can do much of the preparation ahead of time and throw a few things together last minute!  For my first tuna dish...

Tuna & Mango Sashimi Cups

 Ingredients

3/4 cup tuna, diced
1/4 cup mango, diced
1/4 cup cucumber, diced
2 tbsp onion, finely chopped
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp lime juice
1 tsp cilantro chopped
2 spring roll wrappers

Directions

1. Combine sashimi ingredients, through lime juice and refrigerate.

2. To make 'cups' for the sashimi, preheat oven to 400 degrees F, slighten dampen spring roll wrappers, cut into rounds, and mold into cups in a mini muffin pan.  Bake for about 5 minutes until firm and crisp.  Remove from pan and let cool.

3. Fill cups with sashimi and serve.  Garnish with additional cilantro if desired.

The spring rolls cups were light, gave a nice crunch, and served their purpose; however, I'd probably try something with a bit more flavor next time.  They would be great if I could figure out a way to do them fried?

Pan-fried Ginger Scallops

 

Ingredients

8 large scallops

1 1/2 tbsp olive oil

1-inch knob of ginger sliced

2 garlic cloves, sliced

For sauce:

1 tbsp lime juice

1 tsp soy sauce

1 tsp fish sauce

1 tsp mirin

1/2-inch knob of ginger, grated 

For garnish:

1 tbsp cilantro leaves

1 stalk green onion, thinly sliced

1 red chili, thinly sliced

1 tsp fried shallots

Directions

1.  Heat oil over medium heat and add ginger and garlic slices.  Cook for 4 minute to infuse oil with flavor.  Increase heat to medium high.  Season scallops, add to pan and cook 1-2 minutes on each side until almost cooked through and golden brown.  Remove from pan 

2.  Whisk together ingredients for sauce, toss in pan quickly, and strain over scallops

3.  Garnish with cilantro, green onion, chili, and fried shallots.

And last but not least (my personal favorite of the night)...

Tuna Tartare over Fried Rice

Ingredients

3/4 cup tuna, diced

1 tbsp soy sauce

2 tsp sesame oil

2 tsp honey

2 tsp mirin

1 tsp wasabi paste

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp sugar

1/4 tsp pepper

For fried rice:*

2 cups cooked white rice

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 onion, chopped

1 tbsp vegetable oil

1 egg beaten

For garnish:

1/2 cup watercress

1 lemon, juiced

1/2-inch know of ginger, grated

* This will make more fried rice than is required for this dish, but I don't see that as a bad thing :)

Directions

1. To make your ginger-infused lemon juice for your garnish, combine grated ginger and lemon juice and let sit for at least 30 minutes.

2. Combine all ingredients for tuna and refrigerate.

3. For fried rice, heat vegetable oil in a wok over medium-high heat.  Add onion and garlic, tossing constantly so it does not burn.  When softened, add rice and stir through. 

4. Push rice up the sides of wok creating a hole in the center.  Add egg and loosely scramble.  Season with salt and pepper.

5. To arrange dish, use circular mold.  Push rice into bottom half of the mold.  Remove tuna from marinade and fill mold.  Strain lemon juice over watercress, toss, and layer on top of tuna.

With the mix of ingredients that I had to work with, there was not way that I could go wrong!  It was a delicious and healthy seafood feast!