Wasabi Pesto Spaghetti with Seared Tuna

SPONSORED POST BY CULINARY JO CHEF

Wasabi Pesto Spaghetti with Seared Tuna is a fusion twist on a classic Italian recipe like pesto is reinterpreted using Japanese ingredients. The tuna is seared with a butane torch, so that it is only slightly cooked outside and it is still raw inside.

In my life I had the opportunity to travel a lot: learning different traditions and tasting different foods lead me to start a new chapter on my blog, where Italian food will be reinterpreted in a different way. Japan has been a country where I have been three times in different moment of my life – as a teenager, as an MBA student and as a married woman- and everytime suprised me for its richness in traditions, culture and food.

While I will leave the making of Japanese dish to more skilled and talented people, I hope you will appreciate my efforts to connect Italian food with different ingredients from other cuisine to create something different and pleasing to your taste bud.

Why you will love this recipe

– Spiciness and umami are the main components tempered by the freshness of mint and basil and the buttery tenderness of seared tuna

– This Wasabi Pesto Spaghetti is easy to make, just a bit of organization for some Japanese pantry ingredients

– Searing tuna with a torch is quick and convenient, for a chef’s result with Jo Chef Superior RX Refillable Butane Torch.

Wasabi Pesto Spaghetti with Seared Tuna Ingredients

To make this recipe you will need some classic Italian ingredients and some pantry Japanese ingredients. For Japanese ingredients look up on these 2 grocery store Dainobu or H-Mart, specialized in Asian and Japanese groceries. They deliver nationwide.

Pasta: any long pasta will work, either spaghetti or linguine.

Sesame oil: just a fee teaspoon are enogh to brish the tuna before searing it. Sesame oil develop a nutty flavor and it is used in many asian cusine to sear or stir fry meat, fish and vegetables.

Tuna: look for sushi grade tuna, it is more expensive but the quality is superior and the taste much more delicate. If you live in New York check out Eataly in Flatiron or All Fresh Seafood ( deliver nationwide).

To make the pesto you will need the following ingredients:

Wasabi: it is one of the most difficult plant to grow in the world and for this reason fresh wasabi can be very pricey. Stick to normal wasabi paste. Wasabi develop a clean, herbaceous and bright heat and belongs to the family of Brassicaceae, aka Cabbage family. In fact, if you eat some raw cabbage you will feel that little mustard-y bite similar in the end to a hint of wasabi. I use wasabi paste for this preparation, 2 teaspoons for 4 person sauce. My recommendation is to start with1 teaspoon and then increase by half teaspon until you reach the desired level of heat, especially if you are not used to it.

Miso: Miso is a fermented soy bean paste that develop a deep umami flavor. Umami is a Japanese term for “pleasant savory taste” and refers to the unique flavor of three amino acids found in plant and animal proteins. You can taste umami flavor is common foods such as green olives, some aged meat and cheese, kimchi, seaweed, soy products. There are 5 kind of miso from delicate to pungent. If you use it is sauce, dressing, glaze go for white miso, which has a more delicate taste. If instead you will use for stew go for a more deep miso paste, such as yellow or red. Here I used a white miso paste, and in general is the only variety I store in my pantry.

Tamari: Tamari is a basic pantry ingredient that belong to the family of shoyu or soya sauce. It is darker, contains little to no wheat, and has a stronger umami flavor. Tamari is wheat-free, gluten-free and vegan. I commonly use it instead of soy sauce.

Sesame Seeds: Japanese cooks use specially designed ceramic or stainless steel sesame seed roasters, but you can do equally well with a skillet or saucepan over medium heat, remember to carefully stir your sesame seeds, to prevent them from burning. Use sesame seeds within 4 to 6 months as they can go rancid. Once you have them, store them in a cool, dark place or even the refrigerator to preserve their shelf life.

Extra virgin olive oil: the basic component of pesto. Chose a high quality olive oil.

Basil and Mint: these 2 herbs combined together contribite to the freshness of the dish,

How to make Wasabi Pesto Spaghetti with Seared Tuna

To make the pesto

– Add in the cup of a blender: 1 cup of basil, 1 cup of mint, 2 tablespoons tamari sauce, 1 teaspoon miso paste, 2 teaspoon wasabi paste and 1/3 cup sesame seeds. Blend until the ingredients come together in a paste.

– Continue blending as you gradually add the olive oil, until everything is blended together and it appears creamy.

– To make the Pasta and Seared TunaBefore starting to prepare the pesto, put a pot of water on the stove top and bring to a boil.

– When the water is boiling, add 2 tbsp salt. Always add salt to the water before boiling, regardless of the sauce you will put on your pasta. The ratio is 1 to 2 tbsp per pound of pasta, depending on the salt you will use.

– Cook as per the time in the instructions. It should be al dente. Transfer 2 tbsp of the cooking water to the Pesto Sauce you just made, so it will coat better.

– When you throw the pasta in the boiling water, prepare your tuna.

– Cut it in slice of half inch thickness and use the torch to sear equally all the sides. You will just need to wait the tuna to become white or slightly brown, it will stay raw inside.

– When the pasta is ready, put a splash of cold tap water to the pasta pot, so that it will stop the cooking and then with a slotted spoon, transfer the pasta directly to the bowl where you have the Pesto.

– Add 2 tbsp of the pasta cooking water, toss the pasta, plate it and sprinkle on top some fresh basil and mint leaves, some sesame seeds, lay the tuna on the sides of the pasta twirl and serve it. MANGIA and enjoy!

MORE DELICIOUS RECIPE FOR YOU

CARROT TOP PESTO

PASTA WITH HOMEMADE PESTO

EASY VEGAN PESTO PASTA WITH ARUGULA & MINT

PASTA WITH HOMEMADE PESTO

SICILIAN-STYLE TUNA (TONNO AGGHIOTTA)

STORING SUGGESTIONS

A big jar of homemade wasabi pesto can last up to 7 days in the refrigerator, you can use it to toss a watercress salad or some cucumber salad.

WHICH WINE TO PAIR

My recommendation for a wine pairing with this dish is a Vermentino from Liguria, because its herbaceous flavor pairs well with the basil,the wasabi and the mint, which are very distinct flavor in this pesto.

If instead you feel more adventurous, a great choice would be Grillo. It’s a Sicilian wine that is very high in minerality and saltiness and that will pair well with the seafood.

Or if you feel adventurous enough, try some sake with it for a change.