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I thought I was a solid—if a bit inexperienced—cook when I put on my apron for the first time in Ina Garten's barn. We were making banana-chocolate coffee cake, and one of my jobs was to mash the banana. I put the banana into a bowl and proceeded to chase it around with the back of a spoon, the banana sliding all over the place. Ina came over and showed me that if you put the banana on a cutting board and mash it with a fork instead, that banana will be history in no time. Sounds simple, and it was—a simple change that made a huge difference.
In the two years since, I've learned much more in Ina's kitchen—she's imparted wisdom in everything, be it arranging flowers or carving a chicken. I've grabbed some great tips and tricks that make entertaining simple, stress-free, and most importantly, fun! I can't wait to share them with you here.
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I've always thought it's funny that grilling has become so associated with "dads."Nothing screams American summertime more than a goofy dad firing up the grill in his Hawaiian shirt and oversized apron.
I was home visiting my parents in Pittsburgh last weekend, and we decided to have some friends over for dinner—an early Father's Day cookout, of sorts. Instead of letting my dad do all the work, I decided to turn the tables and show him my recipe for tuna steaks, one of his favorites. It also happens to be one of the easiest things in the world to grill. I am not exaggerating when I say that getting the coals hot is more difficult than grilling a piece of tuna to perfection.
Start by whisking together a quick marinade (mine is Japanese inspired, with soy sauce, teriyaki, sesame oil, rice vinegar, honey, ginger and garlic) and pour it over the tuna steaks. Let the steaks sit for an hour at room temperature while you get the grill going. Or, if you're like me last Friday night, you look out the window at that very moment and realize it's beginning to rain, no pour, outside. You can sink into a state of panic and utter despair, or move on to Plan B. (I would recommend Plan B.)
The tip I learned from Ina is that when you're grilling and entertaining outdoors, you should always have a backup plan in case it rains. Sure, ordering pizza is certainly an option, but I have a better solution: Invest in a grill pan. Whether it rains—or if I just don't feel like waiting for the grill to heat up—I use my pan instead. It creates absolutely perfect grill lines.
This tuna is so insanely simple: It takes just three minutes on each side for medium-rare tuna steaks, with a sushi-like pink center. Undercooked is better than overcooked here—a piece of tough, gray tuna is a sad, sad thing.
You don't need to serve the steaks with wasabi mayo, but it couldn't be easier to make, and it really takes tuna to the next level. I combine mayonnaise with plain Greek yogurt, wasabi paste, and a big squeeze of lime for a quick and totally addictive wasabi mayo sauce. It's cool and creamy with a nice bite—the perfect dipping sauce for a piece of tuna fresh off the grill (pan). Also, remember to adjust the amount of wasabi in the mayo to your dad's spiciness tolerance.
Get my recipe here.
Lidey Heuck works as Ina Garten's assistant, social media manager, and occasional recipe tester. She lives in East Hampton, NY.
