Seared ahi with sautéed squash

This recipe is perfect for this time of year, when squashes are ripe and summer still lingers in the air a bit. The ingredients in this recipe are simple and few; the flavors are fresh and un-muddled.

Ingredients:
1 medium zucchini, cut into small pieces
1 medium yellow squash, cut into small pieces
About 1/8 of a purple onion
4 oz, Ahi cut into pieces (about ½”-1”)
½ lemon
Soy sauce
1 tsp butter
2 cups cooked rice (brown or white)

How to cook:
1. Melt the butter in a medium sauté pan* on medium heat.
2. Add all veggies to the pan.
3. Cook for 2 minutes, add 1-2 tsp of soy sauce and stir.
4. Sauté** the veggies, stirring frequently until barely softened.
5. Remove the cooked veggies from the pan and set aside.
6. Turn the heat up to med-hi and add the Ahi.
7. Sear the ahi so that each side is lightly cooked. Squeeze juice of 1/2 lemon onto ahi while cooking.
8. Remove from the pan immediately and serve over vegetables and rice.
Makes about 2 servings.

*A sauté pan has flat sides. this is because the actual method of sauteing is holding the pan over heat and moving the food in the pan by jerking the pan back and forth (through the movement of your elbow).

**To sauté something is to lightly brown it. That means your are cooking all the pieces quickly and evenly. Only a small amount of butter (or oil) is used so that the foods retain their texture and flavor.