Seared Ahi and Baked Tomato with Mustard Soy Sauce

Yellow fin tuna, or ahi, is widely used in raw fish dishes like sashimi. As one of my favorite fish to eat, ahi has a medium-mild flavor with a firm texture. If you ever decide to try cardboard, don't order it cooked more than medium rare, as it also loses its wonderful flavor. Generally speaking, the more fat marbled in the meat, the higher quality and flavor it has.
The quick sear of the ahi and the dehydrated tomato, complimented by mustard soy sauce, all play its part as a strong flavor profile to each savored bite.

Seared Ahi and Baked Tomato with Mustard Soy Sauce Recipe
Ahi- 4 oz piece
Salt and Pepper- As Needed
Avacado- 1/2 Piece

Mustard Soy Sauce
Mayo- 1 Tablespoon
Soy Sauce- 3 oz.
Mirin Rice Wine- 1 oz.
Rice Wine Vinegar- 1/2 oz.
Whole Seed Mustard- 1 Tablespoon
Brown Sugar- 1 Tablespoon
Sage- 1/2 teaspoon

Baked Tomato
Roma Tomatoes- 1 Piece Salt and Pepper- Drizzled on top

Preparing the Tomato
Preheat your oven to 300 degrees. Slice the tomato 1/4 inch. Place your tomatoes on some foil that has been pre-oiled or sprayed with Pam. Sprinkle some salt and pepper and place in the oven for 40 minutes.

Preparing the Sauce
Mix all ingredients well and then season. Mince the sage and add at the end. Remember that you just want to get a hint of the sage, for the herb can overpower the sauce if you put too much

Preparing the Ahi
Season the Ahi on both sides. Bring your saute pan to high heat, then drizzle some oil to coat the pan. Quickly sear the ahi for no more than 20 seconds. Flip and do the same to the other side. Take the ahi off the pan once you see the even cooking of both sides of the fish and place on your cutting board. Slice the tuna in uniformed thin cuts

Plating and Garnish
Layer the tomatoes on your plate, fan out the ahi on top, drizzle some sauce on and around the protein, then garnish with a slice of avacdo and a sage leaf. Voila!

Scallop Filo with Truffle Yuzu Sauce

I was reading one of my favorite recipe books by Chef Nobu, Nobu: The Cookbook, and decided to somewhat replicate the dish. Scallops have a beautiful ocean like flavor to its tendered taste.
The truffle yuzu sauce compliments the scallop bringing a stringent sour flavor to the tongue.
As we all know, truffle is a very expensive product, so dabble in the chinese black truffle! You can find them at your local higher end market for a great price.
Yuzu originates from East-Asia and is commonly grown in Japan. Most believe it is a hybrid of sour mandarin and Ichang papeda. It has a very strong acidity level and a wonderful aroma.


Scallop Filo with Truffle Yuzu Sauce Recipe
Scallop- 1-3 pieces
Kataifi Shredded filo- 1 box
Salt and Pepper- As Needed

Truffle Yuzu Sauce
Chinese Black Truffle- 3 oz.
Yuzu Juice- 3 oz.
Grape Seed oil- 1 oz.
Soy Sauce- 4 oz.
Salt and Pepper- As needed
Chive- As garnish

Preparing the Scallop
Season the scallop on both sides with some salt and pepper. Once you do that, wrap the scallop with the shredded filo. Dont overwrap it! If you layer it too much, once it hits light brown in the oil, the filo close to the scallop will not be fried.

Tip:Scallop is a very delicate seafood and cooks very fast. Make sure to keep the scallops nice and cold. As soon as you drop the scallop in a pot of Canola Oil you want the filo to be light brown with a crunch and the scallop not to be overcooked.

Preparing the Sauce
Use a microplane or zester to shred the truffle.Add all ingredients in a blender and make sure to have all the products combined and emulsified. Season to your liking! don't forget to garnish with the chive and some truffle!

Welcome to Dante's Delight!

Many years ago I volunteered service in Haifa, Israel. In the midst of my service at the Baha'i World Centre, I found my true passion. One beautiful day, in a city formed of beauty and ruins called Akko, a group of my friends decided to enjoy a dinner on a rooftop overlooking the Mediterranean Sea. At sunset, the ocean turned dark purple with bright pink rays gliding over the water. As incomparable as that sunset was to anything I had ever seen, I looked at my friends, who came from around the world to be here, and realized how beautiful they are. The food that brought us together that night brought me clarity. It made me happy to see people from different backgrounds eating the same food in unity and with unforgettable smiles. And in being there for the same purpose, I came to the conclusion that making food for others made me happy, thus my working in the food industry and my creation of this new blog! I often try to remind myself, and hope that this might stick with you, that to appreciate food is to enjoy delicate meals in its simplest form.