Salt Crusted Tuna Recipes

SESAME CRUSTED SEARED TUNA

Steps:

• Mix the Sesame Crust ingredients together in a small bowl.
• Pat dry the ahi tuna with paper towels.
• Place ahi tuna on a plate, coat all sides with soy sauce. This will help the sesame spice adhere to the tuna.
• Generously sprinkle all sides of the ahi tuna with the sesame mix, pressing it down into the flesh. Coat the sides. Read through the rest of the directions before starting because the next part goes very quickly.
• The goal here is to get a nice golden sear on all sides without cooking the ahi tuna all the way through. HOT PAN is key.
• Heat a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat, until very very hot. Place tongs, metal spatula and splatter guard (or lid) near the stove. When the pan is hot a flick of water should sizzle loudly. Once the skillet is hot, turn the fan on high. Add the oil and coat the pan and let it get hot. Carefully lay the tuna in the pan, pressing it down into the skillet with a metal spatula. Sear 45-60 seconds ( or longer)- checking the underneath by lifting one corner to see if it is golden. If golden, carefully flip. If not golden, turn the heat up. Sear the other side, 60-90 seconds until golden. Sear the long edges using tongs to hold it upright.
• Place on a cutting board, blot if you like, then using a very sharp knife, thinly slice, and serve.
• At this point, you could also refrigerate up to 3 days, and serve this later, chilled. Either way is good.

NORI-CURED AHI TUNA ON BAMBOO SPOON

Steps:

• In a small bowl combine salt, sugar, togarashi, and pulverized nori. Stir in tuna to coat, cover and refrigerate about 2 hours to lightly cure. Divide into 8 even portions and place on flat bamboo spoons. Drizzle with ginger soy syrup.
• In a pan lightly coated with oil, combine garlic, ginger, and scallions over medium heat, season with salt and pepper, and let sweat. Deglaze pan with soy sauce, honey and lime juice. Let reduce by 30 percent to 40 percent until the mixture becomes a syrup, about 10 to 15 minutes. Let cool and transfer to a bottle. Store in the refrigerator.

SESAME-CRUSTED TUNA

Steps:

• In a dry skillet on medium heat, toast the white sesame seeds until they are just beginning to turn light golden brown and fragrant. Remove from heat and spread seeds on a plate. Add the black sesame seeds to the plate if using, and stir seeds around with fingertips to combine.
• Brush the tuna pieces on all sides with olive oil. Season on all sides with salt and pepper, and dip tuna pieces in the seeds, pressing to coat on all sides. Set aside on a wax foil lined cookie sheet.
• When ready to cook, heat the 2 tablespoons olive oil on medium high in the skillet. When oil is hot, add the butter, when the butter foams, add the fish to the skillet. Let cook without moving the fish for about 1 1/2 to 2 minutes, until the sesame crust begins to crisp and brown. When the crust is golden brown, turn the fish and cook until the other side is golden brown and crisp, about another 2 minutes, adding additional butter if needed to keep the fish from sticking and speed up the browning. Once the second side is browned, turn the fish pieces on edge with tongs, to brown the remaining sides.
• Remove from heat and set aside. Fish will be medium rare at this point. If you prefer fish more well done, place the ban with the fish in a 375 degree F oven for another 3 to 5 minutes.
• To serve, slice each portion in half and place on the pasta bed with the edges overlapping. Sprinkle with finishing salt, if desired.

ROCK SALT CRUSTED AHI TUNA IN ORANGE COCONUT GLAZE

Steps:

• In a heavy bottom sauce pan, add coconut milk and orange juice, and over medium-high heat, reduce liquid by half. Thicken by mixing the cornstarch and water together to form a slurry and adding to the reduced mixture, stirring constantly. Reduce the heat and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes more. Add tarragon and orange zest, turn off heat, and allow to rest.
• Take the tuna and season the whole outside with salt and pepper (if the tuna loin is too big, you may cut in half or quarters lengthwise for ease of cooking). Using a heavy bottom skillet or saute pan, add grape seed oil and heat until smoking. Place tuna loin in oil gently and leave for 2 minutes or until golden brown on that side. Turn and repeat on all sides of tuna. Remove from heat and allow to rest for 5 minutes.
• To serve, place a little sauce on plate, slice the tuna thinly, and arrange on sauce. The tuna should have an appearance of being cooked on the outside and raw on the inside.
• Note: please use only high-quality tuna

PEPPER-CRUSTED TUNA

Steps:

• Season the tuna with salt on both sides, then press the peppercorns into both sides. Heat the olive oil in a large cast-iron skillet until almost smoking. Add the tuna and lower the heat to medium. Sear the tuna until browned on the outside but still rare in the center, about 4 to 5 minutes per side. Thinly slice the tuna and fan the slices onto 4 plates. Serve immediately.