I'm back!!

After almost a year of not posting, I have been re-inspired to get cooking and writing. New goals for my food and recipe diary: low-cost, healthy, and easy-to-pull-together entertaining menus.

To kick things off the impromptu Fish Taco party I threw last night. I did my grocery shopping for the week on Friday afternoon, and noticed some wild-caught tuna steaks on sale for $5.99/lb. They looked bright pink and delicious. Tuna is my go-to fish for it's heartiness and fabulous taste. Tuna never goes to waste in my house.

Menu
Grilled Tuna Tacos with adobo lime cream
Fresh Seasonal Peach Salsa
Black Bean and Corn Salad
Drink pairing - Bottled MGD 64

Grilled Tuna Tacos
1 lb fresh tuna steak (tips on tuna below)
Vegetable oil non-stick spray
Pinch of Sea or kosher salt
Chili Powder
1 head of purple cabbage, roughly chopped
8 corn tortillas
Adobo lime cream (below)
1/4 cup rough chopped cilantro, for garnish

Adobo lime cream
1/2 cup light sour cream
2 tablespoons adobo sauce (I save the chipotle peppers and remaining adobo to create other sauces and condiments)
Juice of one lime.

Combine all ingredients. For a cream without the kick, omit the adobo sauce. Increase lime juice for taste and consistency.

Wrap corn tortillas with aluminum foil and place in oven heated to 250 degrees to warm through until ready to serve.

Rough chop purple cabbage and set aside.

Season tuna steaks with vegetable oil, salt and chili powder. Preheat grill pan to medium-high. Sear tuna steaks about one minute each side. I prefer mine seared just on the outside with a cool center. Allow to rest for a minute or two before slicing into strips.

Assemble tacos. Place two corn tortillas open faced on each plate. Top with shredded purple cabbage followed by tuna. Top with drizzle of adobo lime cream and sprinkle of cilantro.

Tuna tips - tuna steak should have a nice, bright pink color. It should be firm to the touch. It should have a fresh ocean smell, never a fishy odor.

Cooking - I prefer to cook my tuna on a grill pan which will give the tuna pretty grill markings, however a regular fry pan works as well. I always opt for the non-stick variety. I like to let my tuna rest at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before cooking. This allows for faster and more even searing. While the tuna is resting I season it with sea or kosher salt and pepper. Depending on the dish I may change the seasonings up a bit. Rather than oiling my pan, I like to spray my tuna with vegetable oil on each side. This prevents the tuna from sticking and also helps the seasoning stick to the fish.

Fresh Seasonal Peach Salsa thanks to Eclectic Recipes

This is terrific when peaches are at the peak of ripeness.

2-3 ripe, yet firm peaches, diced - I prefer to leave the skin on
1/4 red onion, diced
3 tablespoons mint leaves
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
Pinch sea or kosher salt
Juice of one lemon
1 jalapeno, diced and seeded (for added heat leave jalapeno seeds to taste)

Combine all ingredients, refrigerate until ready to serve
Best when allowed to rest and refrigerate before serving. Flavors will meld with increased resting time.

Serve with tortilla chips as an appetizer and accompaniment to tacos.

Black Bean and Corn Salad
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can yellow corn, drained and rinsed
Three tomatoes, seeds removed and chopped
1 avocado, chopped
1/3 red onion, diced
1 bell pepper, diced (any color, depending on visual preference)
1/2 bunch of cilantro, roughly chopped
Two limes, zest of one lime, juice of two limes
1/4 teaspoon sea or kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon cumin
optional add-in: 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese at room temperature

Combine all ingredients, refrigerate and rest in refrigerator until ready to serve