This is such a fresh and delicious dish. Get the highest quality ahi tuna you can find. With the dried lavender buds, the fresher the better. Yuzu is a tart Japanese fruit. When yuzu is combined with the port wine, ginger and balsamic, the result is divine.

1 ½ pound center cut fresh ahi tuna cut into a 2-inch wide uniform log that is about 4-5 inches in length (use the trim for poke)

1 teaspoon olive oil

1 ½ teaspoon kosher salt

2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 ½ teaspoons dried lavender buds

2 teaspoons black sesame seeds

Port Yuzu Reduction (see recipe)

Black Lava Salt

Using mortar and pestle, grind lavender buds and sesame seeds together. Lightly coat tuna in olive oil, then sprinkle salt and pepper over whole loin. Roll tuna in lavender and sesame mix to crust. Lightly oil a nonstick pan. Sear crusted tuna over high heat, no more than 10 seconds per side. Turn to lightly sear all sides. Refrigerate for about 10 minutes to cool before slicing. Slice in quarter to half inch slices.

Serve with Port Yuzu reduction. Sprinkle plate with black lava salt before serving.

Port Yuzu Reduction

2 750 ml bottles port wine

1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger

1 cup Yuzu sauce

1 cup balsamic vinegar

Add port wine to sauce pot. Bring to low simmer. Add fresh ginger. Reduce by half. Add Yuzu, return to stove, and reduce by half again. Add balsamic vinegar and reduce by half again. This reduction goes slowly and takes quite a while for the best result.