Seared Yellowfin Tuna & Broccolini

Yellowfin tuna is an excellent choice for serving seared or even raw (sashimi grade). It is also not presently on a sustainability watch list. A sweet marinade that compliments both the fish and broccolini helps make this low calorie dish more palatable. When available, flash frozen fish is preferred and can be thawed safely in the refrigerator overnight.

Feel free to add your favorite sauce like sriracha, peanut sauce, wasabi mayo.

Ingredients

Broccolini

Yellowfin Tuna (at least 3/4 inch thick)

Yellowfin Rub

** Note that this recipe isn't a crusted tuna steak, which entails a much thicker layer of sesame seeds.

2 Tbsp Mirin wine or sherry wine

Salt (1 Tsp)

Sesame seeds, white and/or black ( 4 Tbsp)

Ginger ( 1 Tbsp)

Onion powder or garlic powder (1 Tbsp/ 1 Tsp)

Brown sugar (2 Tbsp)

White pepper (black pepper if that's what you have) (1 Tsp)

Broccolini Marinade

2 Tbsp of Mirin, or sherry wine

1 Tsp of Soy sauce,

1 Tsp ginger or ginger powder,

1 Tsp Black pepper.

Steps

Tuna Prep

Remove the seafood from any packaging, and pat dry with paper towels.

Prepare a plate or platter with the rub.. Add sesame seeds, ginger, onion powder, garlic powder, brown sugar and white pepper to the plate, and mix around.

Place each face/side of the tuna on the rub and press. Drizzle or rub 1 Tbsp of mirin on the 2 sides.

Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Broccolini

Prepare a medium sized bowl or platter with 2 Tbsp of Mirin, 1 Tsp of Soy sauce, ginger or ginger powder, and black pepper.

Add the raw broccolini and toss in the marinade.

Grill, broil or bake the broccolini until the florets start to brown and the stem softens.

Tuna Cook

The best method to sear the yellowfin is a cast iron pan or griddle on the grill or over a burner. Be prepared for smoke!

Heat (medium-high) up the pan to where some smoke is starting to come off the surface. Add 1-2 Tbsp of high heat oil like avocado, safflower, peanut oil, and spread it around on the surface where the yellowfin will be placed.

Immediately add the yellowfin, face down, and press down gently. Resist the temptation to move the yellowfin. Sear for about 90 seconds and then flip with a spatula or tongs. Sear for another 90 seconds.

You can then quickly sear the other, irregular sides of the tuna fish for about 10-15 seconds to be safe.

(If you only have a regular pan, just add a 3 tbsp of oil to a medium heated pan to shallow fry the tuna steak rather than searing. Allow the oil to heat up in the pan for 10 seconds before adding the tuna. ).

Set on a wire rack to cool.

On a cutting board, slice the yellowfin into 1/4 inch thick slices, going against the grains/lines of the fish. Note that depending on the yellowfin tuna, the grains change directions, so make more than one cut direction.

Optional garnishes- sesame oil, scallions