seared tuna lettuce wraps
Growing up, we would occasionally go to the famous Cheesecake Factory for dinner, and I always loved ordering the Thai lettuce wraps with peanut dipping sauce. This recipe is my attempt to recreate this childhood memory at home. I would recommend getting very fresh, sushi-grade tuna (you could also use salmon), and you can certainly add a wide variety of ingredients to the wraps based on your taste and preferences.
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Butter lettuce (1 head, with leaves cleaned and separated)
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Shredded carrot (1 cup)
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Purple cabbage (1 cup, finely chopped)
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Green onions (1/2 cup, finely chopped)
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Cucumber (1 cup, thinly sliced with knife or mandoline)
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Sushi-grade tuna (1 large steak, approximately 1 pound)
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Black sesame seeds (2 tablespoons; can often be found in Asian supermarkets)
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Toasted sesame seeds (2 tablespoons)
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Canola oil (2 teaspoons)
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Toasted sesame oil (1 tablespoon)
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Soy sauce (2 tablespoons)
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Rice vinegar (2 tablespoons)
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Garlic (1/2 teaspoon, finely chopped or grated)
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Fresh ginger (1/2 teaspoon, finely chopped or grated)
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Begin by preparing all of the garnish ingredients. Chop or slice all vegetables including carrot, cabbage, green onions and cucumber. Set aside until ready to assemble the lettuce wraps.
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Unwrap the raw tuna steak and coat in the mixture of sesame seeds.
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Heat the canola oil in a metal skillet over high heat for several minutes.
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Once the pan is very hot, add the tuna steak. Sear on each side for approximately 2 minutes, and then remove to rest. The middle of the steak will be very raw.
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Using a very sharp knife, cut the tuna steak into very thin pieces, approximately 2 to 3 per lettuce wrap.
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In a small bowl, whisk together the sesame oil, soy sauce, rice vinegar, garlic and ginger.
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To assemble the lettuce wraps, place a large piece of butter lettuce down, add mixture of chopped vegetables, and top with tuna slices and a portion of sauce.