Looking to Tweak a Recipe (and need wine suggestion)

For a few years, I've been cooking the following. I'm looking for ways to improve it. Note that I've got two year old twins, so time is very important -- nothing too complex since it is tough to cook when I also need to help my wife keep an eye on the twins.

I take two pieces of tuna. Rub in some ginger and sesame seeds and add soy sauce. Then cook basically black and blue. The goal is to appreciate the flavors of the tuna, but also get a hint of Asian flavor. For wine (and I get a lot of disagreement on this -- people think I'm out of my mind but it seems to work) I've gone with an Oregon Pinot Noir. The suggestion I keep getting is Chardonnay, but the tuna almost calls out for a red.

Thoughts?

Oregon (or New Zealand) Pinot is a good call, what's wrong with it if you like it? My DH also suggests a Spanish Rose (Tempranillo or Granacha) or a dry Vouvray or Montlouis (both are Chenin Blanc from the Loire Valley). If you want to be trendy, try Austrian Grunerveltliner. If it's a real Chardonnay, Mersault, for instance, that might be nice. People like those oaky, buttery California Chards, though, and I don't think that would go as well.

As for the tuna, it sounds good. Maybe add garlic and a little chile oil to the rubbed on mix?

I'd make a marinade of garlic, ginger, soy sauce, sesame seeds and a little sesame oil. Only a few drops. Also a few spoons of oil like olive oil so when it cooks it does not stick. Also fresh cracked black pepper.

I would chose NZ Pinot Noir for a red and a Gruner Veltliner for the white, primarily due to the soy sauce.

I would also add a little mirin or sugar to the marinade as well.

not exactly a tweak of your existing recipe, but a super easy and similar alternate fish option: make a paste of dijon mustard and brown sugar (like 2 tbsp each) thinned with a bit of soy sauce. brush onto 2 salmon fillets and broil for 5-7 mins depending upon your broiler strength and doneness desires.

annak wrote:not exactly a tweak of your existing recipe, but a super easy and similar alternate fish option: make a paste of dijon mustard and brown sugar (like 2 tbsp each) thinned with a bit of soy sauce. brush onto 2 salmon fillets and broil for 5-7 mins depending upon your broiler strength and doneness desires.

That sounds great. I may try it using a grill rather than an oven though.

It's kind of a tough wine match any way you go, but the PN sounds as good as any. Shy of Japanese beer (sort of crisp and neutral), PN is probably where I'd start.
Maybe a peppery southern rhone would work. Hard to tell without experimenting.

The following is one of our "go-to" recipes for quick/easy week-night tuna steaks in a similar prep to yours. I think I jotted it down from an issue of Cooking Light several years ago and then played with the amounts a little. I would not hesitate to serve it with red wine.

Balsamic-Glazed Tuna (2 servings)

12 oz tuna steak
1/2 cup broth (or water)
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 tablespoons tamari
1 teaspoon cornstarch
3 green onions, sliced

Season tuna w/ salt & pepper and sear 3 minutes per side. Combine remaining ingredients, except the green onions in a small saucepan, whisking. Bring to a boil and cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Spoon glaze over fish and top with green onions. I usually sprinkle with some toasted sesame seeds too. We like this with some steamed jasmine rice (done in the rice cooker to keep it easy!)

The wine problem—which is revealed by the buttery, oaky, CA chards— comes from the tannins. Seems to me what you want is something unoaked, basically, and light red. One of the best versions of this would be a German Spätburgunder, a PN clone. I'd look for an Assmanshausen. Barring this, a spät from Baden would be nice. And I've had some lovely ones from Freiburg.

How about a Beaujolais? or a CA gamay? These might do as well.

Finally, something that might surprize you would be a barbera, an unoaked one, if you can find it.

Let us know how it goes!

Geo