Seared Tuna with Salsa and Kabu + Grapefruit Salad,

In the past week, I have realized, through conversations with two people, that I need to post more of my everyday meals. This is why: For me, most often what I make to eat is a product of whatever happens to be sitting in my fridge…or whatever looked fresh, was cheap, and/or I was craving at the market. Therefore, I didn’t see it as “worth it” to talk about it on my blog because a bunch of random stuff thrown together was no big deal.

But what I learned in those two conversations is that not everyone can do what I do, as I’d assumed before. Some people believe you need:

a. a recipe

b. a set list of ingredients

c. a whole day’s preparation

d. food expertise

in order to cook. It’s just not true!

Sometimes friends ask me: “But, how do I get started?” There are a lot of different answers to that question. Sometimes I say: “Start with an onion.” When I first started cooking a lot, back in college, everything started with an onion: spaghetti sauce, taco meat, chicken soup, homefries. Another answer is to “start simple.” Forget the turdukens and baked Alaskas.

Here is a healthy, cheap, super-simple lunch I prepared today that seriously took less than 10 minutes.

Seared Tuna Steak with Fresh Salsa and Kabu & Grapefruit Salad

1 small tuna steak (mine was about 1/3 lb.)*
3 tsp. olive oil
salt and pepper to taste (I ground coriander in with the pepper)
1/3 c. prepared fresh salsa (available in the deli section of market)
1 bunch kabu (Japanese turnip) greens (can substitute radish greens, chard, or baby kale)
1 medium grapefruit, segmented

dressing:
1 tsp. rice vinegar
1 tsp. soy sauce
1/8 tsp. sesame oil
remaining juice of segmented grapefruit
sesame seeds, to garnish

*I used frozen tuna because you can buy a few at a time and pull one out whenever you need a quick meal. Unlike with meat, DO NOT THAW frozen fish, just transfer directly to a hot pan after quickly seasoning.

Place a small skillet over medium-high heat. Remove tuna steak from freezer (or fridge) and coat with 1 tsp. olive oil. Sprinkle one side with salt and pepper. Lightly press sesoning into steak.

Put 1 tsp. oil in skillet and swirl to coat. Put the steak in the middle of the hot pan and do NOT touch or move it. Let cook 3-5 minutes.

In a bowl, whisk together dressing ingredients with a fork.

Season the top side of the steak in the pan. Lift the steak out of the pan with a spatula and swirl in the last tsp. of oil. Cook the other side 3-5 minutes (medium rare).

Chop greens into thin shreds and transfer to the bowl. Toss to coat with dressing. Top with grapefruit segments and sesame seeds.

Transfer the steak to a plate and garnish with salsa. Serve with salad alongside.