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I’m on a bit of a mission. The question is constant, customers would like to know, besides the obvious, salads and sandwiches, how they can add more greens to their kitchen. So my task, in this case, is how I can incorporate sunflower shoots into dinner because, well cress, dill, etc, those are pretty easy. But sunflower, that’s a little less obvious. As a customer commented this weekend, she added bok choy greens to a recipe and it wasn’t the best flavour. I wanted to take advantage of the eye candy appeal of those round, crisp leaves. Sunflower shoots have the same delicious, nutty flavour as the seeds. It’s a taste millions have come to love.
Now combine this thought process with the inspiration from a recent conversation with Chef Sonny Sung, Bistecca, about pan toasting rice before making risotto. It’s the secret to taking rice from those bland white kernels, a supporting cast we bury in sauces, to a flavour infused part of our meal. I have to say, this was probably the best risotto I’ve ever made and really, and it didn’t change the length of time or effort to make.
Okay, we have crisp/tender, toasty flavoured arborio rice; crisp, nutty sunflower shoots; that just called for the ahi tuna steaks I had in the freezer, and….. garlic. I roasted the garlic to bring out its nuttiness, then combined with a good olive oil. If you have never had roasted garlic, it’s pretty easy to accomplish. Drizzle a bulb with a bit of oil, wrap in foil and toss in a 450 degree oven for about 30 min. As soon as you can smell it, it’s done. Use some of that, olive oil and a bit of butter to toast the rice. Brush the steaks lightly with the garlic oil and pan sear. Toss sunflower shoots into the riscotto just before plating. Sounds really good and I haven’t hit the stove yet.
Rice serves 4. One tuna steak, or a protein of choice per person.
Ingredients:
1 3/4 cups chicken stock
1/3 cup white wine
3 tbsp lemon juice
3 to 4 cloves garlic
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tbsp butter
1 cup arborio rice
3/4 cup sunflower shoots (about 1/2 a 5×5 square)
1 tuna steak per person
Salt and pepper to taste.
Method:
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees. To roast garlic, cut the top off a bulb, exposing the cloves. Drizzle with a bit of olive oil, or another oil if you prefer. Wrap in foil and place in oven. Turn off the oven. It will stay hot long enough to gently roast the garlic, without the risk of overcooking. Take the garlic out when you can smell it. Usually that is roughly 30 minutes. To remove the cooked garlic easily, turn the bulb over a plate and squeeze from the bottom.
- Blend garlic and olive oil. Set a bit aside to garnish the plate, about a tsp for each plate.
- Brush garlic oil on both sides of each tuna steak and set aside to marinate. I marinated them for about an hour.
- Combine chicken stock, lemon juice, and white wine.
- Harvest the sunflower shoots and rinse. Set aside. Remember before combining with the rice to keep a few to garnish the plates.
- In saute pan over medium heat add a couple tbsp of the garlic oil and the tsp of butter.
Toasted rice for risotto. - When the butter is melted add the rice. Push around in the pan until the tips of the rice are toasted.
- Set the timer for 20 minutes. Add about half of the stock to the toasted rice and simmer and stir until the stock is almost taken up by the rice. It is a good a idea to give the pan a shake occasionally. At this point you will be slowly adding the remaining stock and stirring. Rice is cooked when it still has just a bit of bite to it.
- During the last few minutes of the rice cooking, heat another saute pan for the tuna steaks. It’s ready when a drop of water bounces around the pan from the heat.
- You have 3 minutes from the time the steaks go on, until they are seared. Tuna steaks are served rare, overcook and you will basically have canned tuna taste. Place the steaks straight down in the pan and set the time for 1.5 minutes. Don’t move until the timer goes off. Turn the steaks and set the timer for another 1.5 minutes. Add the sunflower shoots to the rice. Toss lightly to combine and spoon onto the plates.
- Remove the steaks from the heat and plate. Garnish with the remaining sunflower shoots. Add a swoosh of the garlic oil to decorate the plate.
- Serve and prepare for the oohs and aaahs.