Sorry Charlie, but your just not welcome here...

Let me preface this post by mentioning that over the course of the last 38 hours, I have spent 20 of them on my feet feeding the masses. While on the subject, let me also point out that, the Brownes Addition neighborhood consumes far to many poached eggs and avocado.

Now, on to the main event.

With baited breath there has been someone waiting patiently for the food that follows.

When I was but a young lad ( impossible as that may seem to some of you spring chickens..MMmm chicken...later) I used to have a terrible habit of making friends come to my places of employment and feeding them random concoctions. At one point in that phase I may have promised a fine tuna steak to a certain someone. When she arrived, I was aghast to find out that the accompanying items that I had planned on using, were to my dismay, no longer at hand. What happened next, is my own personal Iron Chef moment.

You will need:
*2 sushi grade Yellow Fin Tuna Steaks
*1 Tbs Minced FRESH Ginger
*6 Average Sized Red Plums
*1 1/2 Cups Grapefruit Juice
*1 Tbs Granulated Sugar
*1 Tbs Loose Green Tea
*2 Granny Smith Apples
*6-8 Black Figs
*Juice of 1 Lime

A quick admission. Originally I did not use the ginger, but I found that it adds a nice flavor accent. Also, grapefruit juice was changed from my original can of Squirt... Sorry Beth.

To begin.....

• Combine plums, grapefruit juice, sugar, tea, ginger, and water in a medium sauce pan and place over high heat until it boils. Once it's rolling, go ahead and lower it to a simmer for 15 minutes. Cover and turn off heat.

Now for a little chat about equipment... Generally speaking I truly couldn't care less what you use, but for certain things (current recipe included) there are necessary tools. My biggest first buy suggestion is a high quality, versatile knife. I know it's going to hurt to hear, but this is one of those situations where you get what you pay for. I have not seen a good, all around knife for under $100. Sorry. Just do it.

• Now with that out of the way.. lets turn to your tuna. If you see any silver skin... Rather Iridescent and shiny membrane. Gently peel up one edge of it and slide your brand new good knife under and gently cut it away.
• Back to that pan on your stove top. At this point it should have sat unwatched for 30-90 minutes. Depending on how far you live from your local knife retailer. Regardless, it should remain unmolested for no fewer than half an hour.
• Once it has cooled off, strain it through your finest (that is to say smallest opening, not most attractive) colander, or sieve, placing your newly strained liquid into a container as close to the same size as your 2 pieces of fishy wonder side by side.
• Now, place your glorious globs of seafood in the plum goo, and set aside, turning after 20 minutes.
  
• Turning your attention to the produce. Core and dice your apple into 1/4 inch cubes placing in a bowl and tossing with your lemon juice.
• Cut your figs somewhere between a mince and a small dice and add to you lemony apples.

Now its just a waiting game... Gotta let the fish soak.... and soak.. and soak. I know, it's unbearable. But it will all be worth it.

• Woo Hoo.. Back to bullet points. That must mean something useful is happening
• Yup, it is.
• Get out your nice 8-10 inch saute pan, and crank it up on high heat with about 2 Tbs of sesame oil.
• Remove your fish from its fruity home and set it on a plate near your pan
• Just before your oil starts place your fish in the pan QUICKLY DAMNIT!
• Turn the fish after about 30 seconds
• After another 35-40 seconds take the fish out of the pan and reduce the heat to Medium High.
• Add 3-4 Tbs to your recently cooler (Temperature that is.. Nobodys pans are "cooler" than mine http://www.all-clad.com/collections/Cop.R.Chef/ ) and reduce by half.
• Once your Tuna has cooled, take your wicked sharp knife, and slice it thinly across the grain of the fish.
  
• Layer your slices in a shingle fashion on a serving plate, drizzling your plum reduction across the top.

Dab a little bit of your apple fig relish in the center of a piece of fish, fold it up, pop it in, and...... Oh yeah that's the spot.

I have a few days off from work this week all... so i will throw up a few more mid week. For now, look out tomorrow for my list of top 10 kitchen essentials with links to online retailers.

Dig In!