Seared Ahi Tuna Fall Centerpiece Menu Recipes

Good Food

I was compensated for this post, however opinions here are my own

This post celebrates everything I love about fall.  Beautiful fall leaves, cooler days, longer evenings, Indian corn, pomegranates, pumpkins and all the wonderful and varied kinds of seasonal squashes now available at the farmer's market. Still dreaming of Chef Jacque Pepin's exquisite Ahi Tuna medium rare entree I enjoyed on the Baltic Sea aboard Oceania Cruises this summer, I created my own menu built around Bumble Bee SuperFresh Ahi Tuna with Garlic-Peppercorn Rub.

The results were absolutely delicious. In fact, this Bumble Bee product tasted fresh and was as good as the ahi tuna we savored on the ship. It was hard to believe that I found this in the freezer section at my local supermarket and that it came seared and rare, ready for me to serve. That freed me up to spend my time instead on preparing some fabulous side dishes incorporating seasonal fresh produce to go along with it. Read on for the recipes and directions to easily make this gourmet menu at home.

Recipes

This elegant and delicious fall menu, with Bumble Bee SuperFresh Seared Ahi Tuna as its centerpiece, is simple to make. Depending on whether you serve this as an appetizer or main course and how much everyone loves this, it serves 2-4 people. You'll first prepare each of the menu's elements, following the simple recipes below. After everything is ready, follow the step-by-step plating directions at the bottom of this post.

Seared Ahi Tuna 

Time to Make: 0 hours active prep time, 3 hours to thaw

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Ingredients

• 1 box of Bumble Bee SuperFresh Seared Ahi Tuna with Garlic-Peppercorn Rub

Directions
1. Keep frozen until ready to thaw and serve.

2. Remove fish from vacuum pack and place on a plate in refrigerator to thaw.
3. Thaw for about 3 hours.

Pomegranate Confetti
Time to Make: 10 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 fresh pomegranate
• 1 t. pomegranate molasses, available at Persian markets

Directions
1. Using a sharp knife cut the pomegranate in half. Use one half for this meal and save the other for another purpose.
2. Remove the seeds, separating from the pulp.
3. Place seeds in a bowl, add pomegranate molasses and gently toss.
4. Set aside to garnish dish later.

Roast Acorn Squash with Fennel
Time to Make: 1-1/4 hours

Ingredients

• 1 fresh acorn squash
• 2 t. margarine or butter
• 2 T. brown sugar
• 1/2 t. cinnamon
• Kosher salt
• Fresh ground pepper
• Water
• 1 T. Fennel Seeds

Directions
1. Cut squash in half, scooping out seeds to create a cavity.
2. To the cavity of each piece of squash, add half the margarine/butter, brown sugar and cinnamon, plus salt and pepper to taste.
3. Bake in oven at 400 degrees, 45 minutes to 1 hour, until tender when tested with a fork.
4. When squash is cool enough to handle, gently scoop out the flesh and discard skin.
5. Transfer squash to blender or food processor and puree. Add 1/4 to 1/2 cup water to replace water lost during roasting to the puree to achieve the consistency desired.
6. Set aside

Turmeric Lemon Rice
Time to Make: 45 minutes

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Ingredients

• 1 cup raw basmati rice
• 2 cups water
• 1/2 t. salt
• 1 t. turmeric
• Fresh lemon, cut in half

Directions
1. Place rice, salt and water in uncovered pot and bring to boil over medium high heat, boiling about 2 to 3 minutes. 
2. When most of water has been absorbed and craters form, remove from heat. Cover and let stand at least 40 minutes.
3. Take half of the cooked rice and place in small mixing bowl, add the turmeric and the freshly squeezed juice of a half lemon and gently toss until well blended. Save the other lemon half for garnishing during plating.
4. Leave the rest of the rice plain in the pot. 
5. Set both rices aside.

Plating & Presentation 

This is the fun part, where you become the chef, an artist arranging food beautifully. You can either serve this entire menu from a single platter or smaller plates for individual servings. And don't worry the presentation will look great whether you use a square platter like I did or you choose to plate with a circular dish.

Directions

1. Down the center of the plate, spoon a generous amount of white rice onto the plate/platter, follow with a second layer adding the turmeric lemon rice on top.
2. Spoon two generous heaps of the squash puree on opposite sides of the plate. Sprinkle each squash heap with fennel seeds.
3. Sprinkle the pomegranate seeds around the perimeter of the plate, except on top of either the rice or squash.
4. Place the thawed, pre-sliced and arranged Bumble Bee SuperFresh Seared Ahi Tuna straight out of the package onto the top of the rice. Don't try to separate it.
5. Add a half lemon to the platter near the edge on one side or if you're using plates add a lemon slice to each.

About Bumble Bee SuperFresh Seared Ahi Tuna

Bumble Bee SuperFresh Seared Ahi Tuna is the first time sushi quality “thaw and serve” packaged seafood products have ever been available at the supermarket. It stays frozen the entire time, even during processing and preparation, and is never fully defrosted. That's how the brand can guarantee the same quality, freshness and taste you'd expect from a fine chef cooking in the best restaurants. You can serve this great tasting fish simply with a side of soy sauce and wasabi, add it to a classic Nicoise Salad or serve it as the entree with some equally elaborate side dishes as I have.

About the New Bumble Bee SuperFresh Line

Bumble Bee SuperFresh is a complete new line of naturally-seasoned, restaurant quality, seafood solutions for the home cook. Each of the five offerings is quick, easy and delicious to serve. These include: Seared Ahi Tuna with Garlic-Peppercorn Rub; Tilapia with Lemon, Pepper & Herbs; Tilapia with Garlic & Extra Virgin Oil; Salmon with Garlicky Black Pepper & Extra Virgin Oil; and Salmon with Garden Pesto. The pre-seasoned Salmon and Tilapia come with their own parchment paper baking pouch and go from freezer to table in 25 minutes or less. All fish varieties remain frozen from when they're brought in on the fishermens' boats until you defrost them immediately before home preparation and serving.

This is a sponsored post for Bumble Bee SuperFresh and I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

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