I met my fiance Brian at a party thrown by mutual friends. Legend has it that once we were introduced, we spent the entire night rooted in place, talking our faces off, until we were the last ones to be politely ejected by the hosts in the wee hours of morning.

When word got out that we’d started dating, there was one single point that everyone agreed would forge us together for all eternity – it wasn’t that we share a fondness for cooking and skiing, or even that we like the same music. It was the fact that in both my studio apartment on the Upper West Side and his 5th floor walkup in the East Village, neither of us had a television.

When people hear that I don’t own a TV, they always assume that I’m some kind of self-righteous, anti-commercial culture activist, which really is just not true. I moved to the city to join Teach For America, and upon moving into my first NYC apartment, my fellow TFA roomies and I decided that we didn’t want to shell out part of our hard-earned salaries to get cable. It turned out to be a great decision, because with all of the work we were doing, combined with the fact that we’d just moved to the city that doesn’t sleep, we didn’t really have a ton of time for the boob-tube.

By the time I finished TFA and could afford to live on my own, I just didn’t want a TV anymore, but I still have shows. I watch HBO at friends’ houses. We have Netflix for the computers. And Hulu has made it impossible not to be addicted to 30 Rock and The Office.

And (finally!) getting to the point of all this, I watch the Food Network at the gym five times a week, pretty much no matter what is on. Sometimes it’s pure pain, and I just can’t watch, like those stupid shows where the guy with the pointy blonde hair takes you to greasy spoons or that plastic-looking woman teaches you how to combine super-processed supermarket items into one dessert and feel good about it. Don’t even get me started on how much I can’t stand Rachel Ray’s chirpy yap.

But it’s money when my treadmill time happens to coincide with Alton Brown or Barefoot Contessa. If they had an Ina Garten marathon, I’d keep running until I passed out just to watch it all. I love her simple food, often made with a delicious twist, her great little tips about how to make things easier/prettier/tastier, and her unwavering commitment to using high-quality, fresh ingredients. I can’t tell you how many simple dinners she has inspired while I’m simultaneously sweating my butt off and drooling all over the workout equipment.

These grilled tuna rolls are a perfect example. I saw them in the gym and had to make them mine. I adored the idea of making a seafood salad with rare, seared tuna and asian flavors, punched up with tabasco and wasabi. I think it’s pure genius to use avocado to add creamy sweetness to the salad instead of mayo, which is so predictable and tired. These rolls were a prefect dinner for a warm fall night, but I can also see myself making them for brunches, picnics, and even mid-winter dinners in the future.

Grilled Tuna Rolls
As demonstrated on Barefoot Contessa, Food to Go

Makes approximately 9 rolls

As with any recipe where fish is cooked raw, it is important that you make sure you buy tuna that is sushi grade to avoid causing food-born illness. Whole Foods is a reliable source of sushi grade fish, and I always call ahead just to be sure. Be very careful not to overcook the fish, tuna that is overcooked tastes like rubbery cardboard. Make sure that you can see a large pink stripe along the side of the tuna while cooking – this will ensure that the inside is still very rare. I recommend doubling the wasabi if you like more heat – we thought that the flavor completely disappeared. Also, you may consider serving this with sides of Tabasco and wasabi powder to allow people to season to their liking.

Good olive oil
1 pound very fresh tuna steak, 1-inch thick
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 lime, zest grated
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice (2 limes)
1/2 teaspoon wasabi powder
1 teaspoon soy sauce
5 dashes hot sauce (recommended: Tabasco)
1 firm, ripe Hass avocado, medium-diced
1/4 red onion, chopped
1 tablespoon minced scallion, white and green parts
1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
9 hot dog rolls, grilled or toasted
1 bunch baby arugula, washed and spun dry

If you are using a grill:

Heat a charcoal grill with hot coals and brush the grill with olive oil.

Brush both sides of the tuna with olive oil and sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Cook the tuna over the hot coals for about 2 1/2 minutes on each side. Remove to a plate. The tuna should be seared on the outside and raw inside. Allow to cool and cut into cubes.

If you are using your stovetop:

Sear the tuna in a dry saute pan over high heat (take note – NO oil in this preparation). Heat the pan for 2 minutes, add the tuna steaks and cook for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes on each side until seared on the outside and still raw inside.

For both versions:

For the dressing, whisk together 2 tablespoons of olive oil, the lime zest, lime juice, wasabi powder, soy sauce, hot sauce, 2 teaspoons kosher salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper in a small bowl. Toss the avocado in the dressing and then add the tuna, red onion, scallion, and sesame seeds. Line the rolls with arugula leaves, fill with the tuna mixture, and serve.