The Joy of Cooking?
Nope, not for me. No joy to be found cooking in steamy August heat, when pots can simmer just by being left on the countertop. The only foods that really appeal are exotic fruits and premium ice cream. But these are pretty healthy, right? Fruits have complex carbohydrates and ice cream has protein, so together they make a perfectly balanced meal. Need a bit of extra fiber? Popcorn. Hey, it’s a veggie.
What else do I need? Well, everyone deserves a little dessert. A Snickers bar, frozen, makes a great one — and since each bar contains at least 2.4 peanuts, it’s also as healthy as our main course of fruit, popcorn, and ice cream. But best of all, this dessert contains no calories. Really! In an effort to justify my new summer eating plan I carefully examined a Snickers label and discovered there are absolutely no calories in it. There are, however, per serving, nearly 300 units of energy. So, the way I read it, the more I eat, the more peppy I’ll feel. Eat enough of them and I should outperform the Energizer Bunny. I’m liking summer better already. (Note, however, that the energy figure appears on the Hebrew language sticker. It could be that candy bars sold without the sticker do contain calories, so buyer beware.)
Shhhh, this eating strategy is a secret. Realizing that the unenlightened could find it subversive, when we have company — like social workers checking out my kids’ welfare — I serve more conventional fare. Even so, I’m not about to slave over a hot stove in August. So a favorite summer meal is Seared Tuna Steaks (aapted from Bon Appétit magazine via epicurious.com). From fridge to table in 15 minutes, with a single stove burner lit for 6 minutes. (Bonus: This dish is low-carb.)
And it even tastes great. I’m not a fish fan, but this method of preparation makes tuna taste, and smell, more like savory meat than fish. The one thing that can ruin this dish is overcooking; the steaks should be just opaque at the center, still a bit pink. Have your fishmonger cut them thicker than usual, about 1 inch thick — even though he’ll do his best to convince you that it can’t be done, won’t be good, etc.
Serve hot or even cool, with potato salad and steamed green beans garnished with toasted slivered almonds. And definitely serve dessert, preferably Ben & Jerry’s New York Super Fudge Chunk.
Seared Tuna Pepper Steaks
4 tuna steaks (each about 1 inch thick)
Black pepper, coarsely ground
Coarse salt (“koshering” salt)
2 teaspoons sesame oil
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1/4 cup dry wine
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives or green onion tops
Sprinkle tuna steaks on both sides with pepper and salt, pressing gently to adhere. Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over high heat. Add steaks and sear until brown outside and just opaque in center, about 3 minutes per side. Using spatula, transfer tuna steaks to platter and keep warm. Add soy sauce and then wine to the same skillet. Reduce heat and simmer until mixture is slightly reduced, scraping up any browned bits, about 1 minute. Spoon sauce over tuna steaks. Sprinkle with chives or green onion tops. Serves 4.