Ensalada of Ancho Guajillo Ahi Tuna with Crisp Platanos and Tortilla Strips

A modern Mexican style salad with some nice textures.

     Tortilla strips and crispy fried plantains add some crunch to this salad.  Chile ancho and chile guajillo are both full of rich chile pepper and dried fruit flavors.  Both of these chiles are very mild.
     Ahi tuna (yellowfin tuna) is nice when it is seared rare to medium rare.  When serving tuna rare, it is best to select tuna that has been prepared to sushi regulation health codes.  By law, all sushi fish must be frozen below zero with one of three deep freeze methods.  The freezing process eliminates parasitic pathogens.
     Always check the current sustainability rating of any tuna before purchasing.  Yellowfin tuna has had nearly threatened status for quite some time, due to high demand.  Honestly, the count of yellowfin tuna is worse than nearly threatened, but because it is a high demand fish it always seems to end up being rated optimistically.
     Sustainability issues can be helped by consumer awareness.  Consumers that care about depleted natural resources use the sustainability ratings of fish when shopping.  If a fish is endangered, the right thing to do is not support any further fishing of that species, till the numbers become sustainable.
     Gluttony concerning the preference of fish is just a matter of self control.  Sure, I like yellowfin tuna, but I rarely post recipes for this fish, because of sustainability issues.  What you see in my blog, is what I eat from day to day.  During the last four years of cooking blog recipes, the number of ahi tuna recipes in this food blog can be counted with the fingers of one hand.  That is self control!
    
     Guacamole Recipe:
     No sour cream is needed in this guacamole!  It tastes amazingly crisp and fresh without sour cream.  Traditional guacamole is made with no sour cream.
     Place the fruit of 1 medium size ripe avocado in a mixing bowl.
     Add 1/2 tablespoon of lime juice.
     Add 1/2 of a chopped green onion.
     Add 1 tablespoon of chopped tomato.
     Add 1/2 cove of chopped garlic.
     Add 8 to 10 leaves of chopped fresh cilantro.
     Add 1/2 of a finely chopped green jalapeno.
     Add sea salt and black pepper.
     Mash and mix the ingredients together.
     Chill the guacamole in a refrigerator for ten minutes before serving.
   
    
     Tomato Salsa Recipe:
     Place 1 chopped tomato in a mixing bowl.
     Add 3 tablespoons of chopped onion.
     Add 1 chopped green onion.
     Add 10 to 12 leaves of chopped cilantro.
     Add 1/2 of a finely chopped jalapeno.
     Add sea salt and black pepper.
     Add 1/2 tablespoon of lime juice.
     Add 1/2 tablespoon of rice vinegar.
     Mix the ingredients together.
     Chill the salsa for 10 minutes, before serving.
    
     Crisp Tortilla Strips Recipe:
     Heat 4" of vegetable frying oil in a high sided pot to 360 degrees.
     Cut a 6" round corn tortilla into thin strips.
     Place the tortilla strips into the hot oil.
     Fry the trortilla strips, till they become crisp.
     Use a fryer net to remove the tortilla strips from the hot oil.
     Drain the excess grease off on a dry towel.
     Sprinkle a pinch of sea salt over the tortilla strips.
     Set the tortilla strips aside.
     Leave the frying oil on the heat, so the plantain slices can be cooked!
    
     Crisp Plantain Recipe:
     Peel a ripe plantain.
     Cut the plantain in half.
     Cut 5 very thin lengthwise slices.
     Fry the plantain slices in the pot of 360 degree frying oil.
     Fry the long thin plantain slices, till they become crisp and golden brown.
     Use a fryer net to set the crispy plantain slices on a dry towel to drain off the excess grease.
     Set the crisp plantain slices aside.
    
     Chipotle Crema Recipe: 
     Place 3 tablespoons of sour cream into a small bowl.
     Add 1 tablespoon of cream.
     Add 1/2 tablespoon of chipotle hot sauce.
     Set the chipotle cream aside.
    
     Salad Plate Set Up Preparation:
     Place 2 large romaine leaves on a plate as a bed for the guacamole and salsa.
     Place a small mound of chopped romaine on a on the stem end of the romaine leaves.
     Garnish the plate with lemon slices.
     Garnish the plate with cilantro sprigs.
     Set the crisp tortilla strips on the mound of chopped romaine.
     Spoon a little bit of the chipotle crema oover the chopped romaine and tortilla strips.
     Sprinkle a little bit of shredded cheddar cheese over the mound of salad.
     Place a dollop of guacamole and salsa on each of the romaine leaves on the plate.
     Place the crispy plantain slices on the chopped romaine.  (Place the plantain slices on the mound of salad, so they are in a starfish pattern.)
     Be sure to have the salad platter set up completed before starting the to cook the tuna.  The tuna only takes a few minutes to cook!
    
     Ancho Guajillo Seared Ahi Tuna Recipe:
     Place 2 tablespoons of ancho chile powder into a small bowl.
     Add 1 tablespoon of guajillo chile powder.
     Add 2 teaspoons of cumin.
     Add 1 teaspoon of coriander.
     Add sea salt and black pepper.
     Mix the ingredients together.
     Dredge a 4 to 5 ounce piece of yellowfin tuna in the chili powder mix and thouroughly coat the tuna on all sides.
     Heat a saute pan over medium heat.
     Add 1 splash of blended olive oil.
     Add the seasoned tuna steak.
     Pan sear the tuna on both sides, till it is cooked rare to medium rare.
    
     Ensalada of Ancho Guajillo Ahi Tuna with Crisp Platanos and Tortilla Strips:  
     Set the ancho guajillo tuna on a cutting board.
     Cut the tuna steak into thin slices.
     Arrange the tuna slices on top of the crispy plantains on top of the mound of lettuce.
     Place a dollop of chipotle crema in the center of the tuna slices.
     Garnish the chipotle crema with green onion strips.
    
     This salad platter pleases all the senses!  Yum!  ...  Shawna