Jun 7, 2025

Tuna and Olive Linguine for Two

Usually I would just cook big portions of food, like finishing the entire pasta package at once. So there must be a reason why I only made linguine for two here. Well, it's because the price for sashimi grade tuna is $$$$.


You know, unlike back in the states, I think it's how people used to cook their fish here in Taiwan, so it's a bit hard for me to simply find tuna "steak" at the supermarket. The only whole chunky tuna that I can find is sashimi grade tuna. And it'll come in either sliced version or sometimes they'll have a box or two uncut pieces on the side.


That's why instead of making tuna pasta for six plates, I think this time a lovely meal for two will do.


Tuna and olive linguine - 


Tuna and olive linguine


Ingredients (for two servings)?

  • 220 grams sashimi grade tuna or tuna steak
  • 2 servings linguine pasta
  • Some extra virgin olive oil
  • 4 green olives
  • 2 anchovies in oil
  • Small bundle of parsley
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 1 bundle shallots (about 2 tablespoons peeled and chopped)
  • Some salt
  • 1/3 cup dry white wine
  • 1/3 cup pasta water 

 

How?

Prepare a pot of water and season with few pinches of salt. Bring to a boil and toss in enough pasta for two servings. Cook till almost al dente. Save some pasta water first then drain the rest.


Meanwhile, cube the tuna. Depit the green olives then give it a rough chop. Peel and chop the shallots. Peel and chop the garlic cloves. Finely chop the parsley.


Cubed sashimi grade tuna

Have a pan ready and drizzle 2 tablespoons of olive oil. I simply used extra virgin olive oil throughout. Use medium heat and add in chopped shallots and garlic. Sear till aromatic but not burnt. Add in anchovies, sear and break the anchovies apart with a spatula.


Searing the aromatics along with anchovies

Add in olives and continue to cook for about 30 seconds.


Add in cubed tuna. Stir-fry till about half cooked through.


Searing cubed tuna till about half way cooked through

Pour in 1/3 cup of dry white wine and bring to a boil. Let it boil for a little bit longer than pour in 1/3 cup of pasta water we saved earlier. Bring to a boil again and add in drained pasta. 


Let the pasta cook in the liquid for about a minute while stirring the ingredients in order to mix in some air. Still bubbling too.


Emulsifying the linguine

Taste and season with salt. I used 1 teaspoon of salt myself. When all checked and set, drizzle some more extra virgin olive oil over. Toss then plate. Garnish with chopped parsley.


Tuna and olive linguine for two

If you prefer a stronger savory taste, use more anchovies in the beginning. Perhaps up to 4 slices instead. It's like umami packed in these little fish fillets and will highly enhance the flavor of the final pasta. 


Other recipes using sashimi grade tuna:


May 31, 2025

Braised Soy Sauce Chicken Over Rice

Two ways to enjoy this chicken over rice meal, one you can leave the chicken leg as it is and dive into chewing the meat off the bones. Then there's a more elegant way but of course leaving most of the deboning work to the person who's cooking it.


Being a nice cook here, I've decided to pick out all the bones after braising the chicken legs, so whoever's eating it can save the hassles and enjoy mouthful of meat all the way through.


Braised soy sauce chicken over rice -


Braised soy sauce chicken over rice


Ingredients (about 4 to 6 bowls)?

  • 4 or about 1200 grams chicken legs
  • 1/2 cup soy sauce
  • 6 garlic cloves
  • 2 stalks scallion

Actual cooking:

  • 2 to 3 tablespoons preferred cooking oil
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 2 bulbs shallots (about 1/3 cup peeled and chopped)
  • 2 slices ginger
  • 2 stalks scallion
  • 1/4 cup soy sauce
  • 1/4 cup dark soy sauce
  • 1/4 cup aged Shaoxing wine
  • 1 1/2 cups water
  • 2 star anises
  • 1 aged tangerine peel
  • 1 teaspoon rock sugar
  • 4 to 6 portions cooked rice
  • 1 pack bok choy
  • 1 pinch salt 

 

How?

Marinate the chicken legs with 1/2 cup of soy sauce, 6 peeled garlic cloves, and 2 stalks of destemed and sectioned scallion. Massage the sauce into the meat then let it marinate in the fridge overnight.


Marinating chicken legs with Asian seasonings

Remember to flip the chicken legs to the other side half way through.


Cook the rice when close to serving time, I prepped some quinoa white rice for extra nutrition boost.


For the braising part, peel 2 extra garlic cloves, destem and section 2 more stalks of scallion. However, do chop or slice some scallion greens diagonally for garnish in the end. Scrape the skin off the ginger then slice to about 2mm thickness pieces, we need 2 slices here. Peel and chop the shallots.


Bring out a big pot, drizzle 2 to 3 tablespoons of preferred cooking oil and switch to medium heat. Add in garlic, shallot, ginger, and scallion sections. Sear till aromatic but not burnt.


Searing Asian aromatics before braising the chicken legs

Move the aromatics aside and transfer marinated chicken legs over skin side down first. Just the chicken legs, in which we will add the marinade later. Once the skin gets that slightly browned sear, flip and cook the other side till colored again.


Searing chicken legs

Pour in all the remaining marinade along with the ingredients inside. Also add additional seasonings over, that means 1/4 cup of soy sauce, 1/4 cup of dark soy sauce, 1/4 cup of aged Shaoxing wine, 2 star anises, 1 aged tangerine peel, and 1 1/2 cups of water.


Braising chicken legs in Asian seasonings

Bring to a boil then adjust the heat to keep it at a medium bubbling stage. Continue to braise for about 20 minutes. Remember to flip the chicken half way through.


Towards the end, add 1 teaspoon of rock sugar and cook till all melted and blended evenly with the sauce.


Towards the end of braising chicken legs in Asian seasonings

While braising the chicken, let's prep the veggies. Have a medium pot filled with water. Bring to a boil then add in one pinch of salt. Add in trimmed bok choy and cook for just about one minute. Drain and set aside for later use.


Water boiling the bok choy

If you want to be more professional or looking for that perfect way of prepping the bok choy, go ahead and dump the cooked leafy greens in icy cold drinkable water. Quickly cool down the temperature in order to better keeping that vibrant green color. As for me? Nah.


So when the chicken is ready, remove the chicken and set side to cool off. When cool enough to handle by hand, pick out the meat and tear to threads. I actually chew on the leftover bones as my reward for cooking this meal. Some might not know, but the meat close to the bones tastes really delicious.


Tearing braised chicken legs to threads

As for the remaining braise, drain and keep the sauce. You'll use it to drizzle all over the rice bowls. And if there's any leftover sauce, use it for future meals such as base sauce for dry noodles.


Scoop some rice to serving bowls, arrange bok choy around it, then add shredded chicken in the center. Drizzle braised sauce all over and garnish with scallion greens we saved earlier.


Braised soy sauce chicken over rice

I didn't realize how much meat I can get from 4 big chicken legs. Thought that skin and bones occupy a huge portion of it. But ended up I got so much meat, more than enough for 4 to 6 portions.


Of course you can braise 2 chicken legs instead, but considering all the work and time involved, if let me choose again I'll still go for bigger portion. The most I'll just store cooked meat in the freezer right?


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