Guest Post: Ahi Poke

Today is Guest Post Day! Yay! Thanks to Tom Lee for sharing. Sounds delicious.

Tom Lee is a business development associate for the Santa Barbara Fish Market where you can support local fishermen and buy fresh seafood online or buy fresh fish online.

Ahi Poke

As a college student that is health and budget conscience, I am always looking for something that meets these requirements. The best way to do so, is to make something yourself. One of my favorite dishes is Ahi Poke. Ahi Poke is a dish that is enjoyed by many, but made by few. It consists of fresh raw tuna mixed with a few seasonings. Besides being so tasty for how simple it is, it also is very healthy. 4 ounces of tuna (Yellowfin tuna) itself yields about 27 grams of protein in just 123 calories. It’s a great source of lean protein. While the ingredients are simple, some people are a bit scared of handling raw fish, but it’s really no different then another other meat. In fact, most fishmongers at any fish market or fish department will clean the fish and hand you a perfect fillet that is ready to be used for a meal. The only real important requirement for this dish is to have the freshest tuna possible.

Ingredients:
8oz Fresh Tuna
1 Tablespoon Shallots
½ Tablespoon Green Onions
1 Tablespoon Soy Sauce
1/8 Teaspoon Sesame Oil
¼ Teaspoon Sesame Seeds
¼ Teaspoon Siracha Garlic Chili Sauce
¼ Whole Avocado
½ Whole Cucumber

Instructions:
1. Mix sesame oil, soy sauce, garlic chili sauce, shallots, and green onions into a small
bowl

2. Take the ¼’d avocado and take the seed out and peel the skin off. Cut into to small
¼ inch pieces.

3. Cut the cucumber in slices. You want them thin, but still thick enough to carry the
weight of the Ahi Poke that will be served on it.

4. Make sure to keep the tuna cold until being handled. Cut the tuna into ¼ inch
cubes.

5. Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl and let sit for about 10-15 minutes. It
can be served immediately, but a few extra minutes will let the sauce penetrate a bit
better.

6. Top each cucumber slice with about a spoonful of Ahi Poke, serve, and enjoy!

Tips: What’s great about this recipe is that all the ingredients can be easily adjusted
to taste. If you prefer a spicier sauce, just add more of the garlic chili sauce. Big fan
of avocado? Add more! Cucumber is suggested hear as a lower-calorie alternative,
but Ahi Poke is also great served on top of your favorite crackers or toasted bread.

Savory Butternut Squash and Kale Bread Pudding

Ingredients

2 lbs peeled seeded butternut squash, cut into 1-inch cubes (about 6 cups)
7 large eggs
2 1/4 cups half & half
6 tbsp dry white wine
1 1/2 tsp dijon mustard
1 sourdough baguette
1 cup chopped shallots (about 4 large)
2 bunches kale, ribs removed, coarsely chopped
8 oz. extra-sharp cheddar cheese, grated
olive oil
kosher salt and pepper

Directions

Cut baguette into 1-inch cubes and (if not dry) toast in 200 degree oven for about 10 minutes, until bread is dry, like day-old bread. Turn oven up to 400 degrees. Toss squash with 1 tbsp olive oil on rimmed baking sheet, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and bake until squash is tender, about 20-25 minutes. Turn with spatula occasionally.

Whisk eggs in large bowl, add half & half, wine, mustard, and 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt and whisk to blend. Set aside.

Heat about 2 tbsp oil in large pot over medium-high heat. Add shallots and saute until soft, about 5 minutes. Add kale. Cover and cook 2 minutes. Uncover and stir until kale is wilted but still bright green, about 5 minutes. (I cook mine longer, though, because I like the kale less crunchy.)

Reduce oven temperature to 350. Generously butter 13x9x2-inch baking dish. Spread half of bread cubes in the bottom, topped with half of kale mixture, then half of squash, and sprinkled with half of cheese. Repeat with remaining bread, kale, squash, and cheese. Pour egg mixture over the bread pudding. Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake uncovered until custard is set and bread feels springy to the touch, about 20 minutes longer. Broil 2 minutes right before serving until cheese browns slightly.

Notes:
*I don't like soggy bread pudding, so I altered the original recipe a little. Here are the things I did, so you can decide how you like it best.
* The recipe didn't call to toast the bread, just to cut it up, but I like it more stale.
*The recipe said to soak the bread in the egg mixture for 30 minutes before baking, but I completely skipped this step because I didn't want all soggy bread.
* When I did finally pour the egg mixture in the pan right before baking, I made sure not to completely cover the top pieces of bread, making sure they were still dry on top.
* I used more cheese

From the kitchen of Liza Wilson

Disney's Broccolini Aglio Olio

Broccolini Aglio Olio

Wine Country Trattoria

Ingredients

5 T. olive oil, divided
¼ c. chopped garlic
¼ c. chopped shallots
¼ t. crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
1 bunch broccolini cut into ½ inch pieces
1 c. grape tomatoes, halved
½ t. coarse salt
¼ t. ground black pepper
4 c. cooked short-cut pasta (campanelle, penne, or rotini)
4 generous handfuls fresh arugula
3 generous handfuls fresh baby spinach
1 lemon, juiced
¼ c. dry white wine
¼ t. ground black pepper
¼ to ½ c. grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

Directions

1. Heat 3 tablespoons oil in a large saute pan or wok over medium-high heat. Add garlic and shallots, stirring constantly. Cook for 30 seconds, until fragrant. Be careful not to burn garlic.

2. Add red pepper flakes and broccolini, stirring to coat in oil. Cook until the broccolini is just tender.

3. Add tomatoes, ¼ teaspoon salt, and pepper to the pan. Add pasta, arugula, spinach, lemon juice, and wine to the pan. Increase the heat to high. Cook, tossing, until spinach and arugula are wilted slightly, about 1 to 2 minutes.

4. Drizzle in remaining 2 tablespoons oil, tossing to combine. Add remaining ¼ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper, and grated Parmesan cheese, if using. Serve immediately.

Disneyland's New Orleans Crab Cakes

New Orleans Crab Cakes

Ingredients

1 lb. imitation crab, finely chopped
1/2 lb. snow crab, finely chopped
3 large mushrooms, minced
2 Tbsp. chopped green onion
2 Tbsp. minced onion
1tsp. dried parsley
2 cloves minced garlic
1 large shallot peeled and minced
1 tsp. chicken base
1/4 tsp. ground mustard
1/4 tsp. cayenne Pepper
1/4. white pepper
2 Tbsp. cooking sherry
1/4 tsp. thyme
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup bread crumbs
2 Egg yolks
2 Tbsp Margarine or butter

Directions

Melt Margarine in pan, add Mushrooms, Garlic, Shallots onion and Green onions, Parsley and sauce until tender.

Add all Crab meat and saute over medium heat until hot, stirring constantly.

Add bread crumbs, mix well, and turn off heat.

Place mixture on cookie sheet, cover and refrigerate until cool (approximately 1 hour).

Breading

Ingredients

3 Eggs
1/4 cup flour
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1 cup canola oil

Directions

When cool, divide mixture into 12 equal peices. Form so that they are round and approximately 1/2' thick. whip eggs in bowl. Dust the cakes in flour, dip in eggs and then roll in bread crumbs.

Preheat oven to 350.

Heat salad oil in skillet until hot. place crab cakes in pan and lightly brown on both sides. Remove from skillet and place in 9x13 baking dish. Bake in 350 oven for 10 minutes. Seve with cajun pepper sauce and garnish with fresh chopped chives.

Disneyland's Napa Rose Sea of Cortez Rock Scallops

Napa Rose Sea of Cortez Rock Scallops

Grand Californian Hotel

Yields 6 servings as an appetizer

Ingredients

12 large rock or diver scallops
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons clarified butter
11/2 cups chive potatoes (see following recipe)
11/2 cups lobster sauce (see following recipe)

Directions

Have mashed potatoes ready; they can be held warm and ready to serve.

Make lobster sauce and have it ready as well.

Place scallops on a towel and season with salt. Over medium high heat 2 tablespoons of clarified butter in a large sauté pan. Make sure pan is very hot, then add seasoned scallops.

Sauté for 4 minutes or until golden brown. Using kitchen tongs, turn scallops over and begin browning the opposite side. If they are cooking too quickly reduce the heat to medium. Once scallops are cooked on both sides, serve immediately.

To plate, place the hot chive whipped potatoes in the center of the plate, set two scallops per person on top of the potatoes. Then with a spoon, ladle sauce over the scallops and potatoes.


Napa Rose Sour Cream & Chive Whipped Potatoes

Ingredients

3 Russet potatoes, peeled
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons sour cream
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup snipped chives
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Place potatoes in a pot with enough cold water to cover them by at least 3 inches. Place on burner set to medium heat and bring to a boil. Simmer for approximately 20 minutes or until tender. Drain and transfer potatoes to a mixing bowl. Smash or pass potatoes through a ricer. Season with salt, chives and add the butter and cream until potatoes are nice and moist. Add lemon, taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.

These should be made in advance and can be held warm.


Napa Rose Lobster, Lemon & Vanilla Sauce

Ingredients

1 lobster (steamed, cracked and meat removed)
1 tablespoon clarified butter
2 minced shallots
1 cup white wine
1 cup chicken stock
1 vanilla bean or 1/8 teaspoon good vanilla extract
1 small pinch saffron
3 tablespoons diced tomatoes
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon fresh chopped thyme
6 tablespoons unsalted butter

Directions

In a sauce pan, sauté shallots in 1 tablespoon of clarified butter over medium high heat. Add the white wine and reduce by 70 percent. Add the chicken stock, half of one vanilla bean, saffron and reduce by 50 percent. Add tomatoes, lobster, chopped thyme and lemon juice.

Remove sauce pan from heat and slowly whisk in unsalted butter. Mixture should resemble a creamy lobster and saffron stew. Taste sauce and adjust by adding salt or a few drops of lemon juice if necessary.