Day 158: Pretty Enough for Christmas?

When I was growing up, every Valentine's Day my mother would make a meal focused on the color red.  I remember having things like meat loaf with ribbons of ketchup baked on top, tomato salad, and cherry Jell-O.  

As our dinner came together tonight, just a couple of weeks ahead of Christmas, I was reminded of that tradition and thought that with its red and greens, this meal could serve as a nice appetizer before Christmas dinner.

I made this recipe up as I went, based on lots of other similar recipes I had followed in the past - so the ingredient list below is an estimation.  It's important to taste as you go to identify whether you need more of anything.

Ingredients:

2 cups of 2-inch pieces of fresh green beans

12 pear (or cherry) tomatoes, halved vertically

1 ripe avocado, diced

1 shallot bulb, sliced thin

Juice of 1 large lime

1 tsp sesame oil

1 tsp peanut oil

1 T olive oil

20 shakes of Frank's Red Hot sauce

1 tsp sugar

1/2 tsp soy sauce

Approx. 1 lb of high quality (searing grade) ahi tuna

Boil a pot of salted water and add green beans.  Boil until fork tender but still bright green.  Drain and set aside.

Add ingredients lime through soy sauce in a large bowl and whisk.  Taste to ensure that you like the balance of oil to acidity and make any adjustments you find necessary.

Add beans, tomatoes, shallot, and avocado to the mixture and gently stir together.

Coat a stainless steel pan with olive oil and turn burner to medium-high.  Pat tuna dry with a paper towel and season both sides with S&P.  Once oil is hot, sear tuna on both sides - this should only take 3-5 minutes per side depending on how thick the steak is and how well done you like your tuna.

Allow the tuna to cool just a bit.  Then, cut it into large chunks and add to the rest of the salad.  Mix gently and serve!

This was SO yum and incorporated lots of fresh ingredients.  We will definitely be having this again - probably not on Christmas, but soon!