Seared tuna steaks

[johnpalmer]

One good way to cook a tuna steak is to heat a cast iron pan up really hot, until the bottom looks like it's coated with white ash. Throw in some oil (be wearing a heavy apron, and it doesn't hurt if you wear glasses, just in case of oil spatters); throw on a tuna steak (gently - again, oil splashes) that you've covered in freshly ground pepper and bits of lemon peel. Let it sear, flip it, let it sear, and then flip again and let it cook.

One bad way to realize you're forced to cook tuna steak this way is to forget you've started pre-heating the pan while you pull your morning espresso... in your underwear.

(No serious damage - some oil spatters on my thigh. And I wasn't prepared to deal with a smokey kitchen.)

Comments

[wolfette]

all the chefs say that you should brush the meat with the oil, not the pan, with those cast iron pans. You do get less smoke that way.

[siliconshaman.livejournal.com]

I used to do seared steaks by brushing the meat with oil [and herbs etc], holding it with foot long tongs, and blasting it with an oxy-acetylene torch!

Add a pan underneath to catch the drippings for gravy, and it's surprising how good it tasted!

[kightp.livejournal.com]

Oh, dear.

I am reminded of an incident involving someone who shall remain nameless, and which gave rise to the wise saying "Never cook bacon in the nude."

(Also a good argument for those chef's aprons I keep in my kitchen. Throw one of those on and you don't have to worry too much about the hazards of cooking au naturel...)

[laura-alive.livejournal.com]

oh yummy - I want some, please! My ex-husband used to cook in the nude, and then came the memorable day he chopped up some hot peppers and then rubbed his balls. I think he took six showers in a row!