Recipe: Tuna with Peanut-Chile Sauce
Page: 208
Date Cooked: September 2, 2012
The idea of a tuna "roast" was a novel one and I was curious to see what exactly that entailed. Luckily the fish guy at my grocer was able to get me the right kind of piece of tuna. So there may be a bit of advanced planning for this recipe.
I rubbed the tuna with olive oil, salt and pepper, and then set it aside.
I roasted the jalapeno on the stove top till blackened and blistered all over. I placed it in a bowl, covered, and let it steam for a bit. I peeled the jalapeno by hand, stemmed, seeded, and diced.
I tossed the peanuts with a little olive oil and water, placed it on a baking sheet, and roasted them in the oven until golden brown.
With a mortar and pestle, I mashed 3/4 of the peanuts with the jalapeno, a garlic clove, and some olive oil. I cut butter into chunks and integrated that into the peanut-chile mixture along with fresh lime juice. Finally, I stirred in the chopped cilantro and diced red bell pepper. I also seasoned the sauce with salt and pepper.
I diced the tomatoes. I whisked vinegar with salt, pepper, and olive oil. I added the tomatoes and set the bowl aside.
I sliced the zucchini into strips. I heated olive oil in a skillet and added the zucchini, seasoning it lightly with salt and pepper. I sauteed the zucchini for a bit and kept it warm.
I placed the tuna on a baking sheet and roasted for a few minutes on each side. I removed the tuna and let it rest.
Then it was time to plate. I put the zucchini on the plate first and sprinkled it with the tomato vinaigrette and the remaining peanuts. I topped it the a piece of the tuna and some of the peanut-chile sauce. Finally, I garnished it the some cilantro.
So I made one major error... I overcooked the tuna. This itself was devastating since it was such a beautiful piece of fish. However, in spite of this, the dish was delicious. Beautifully balanced with texture right and left. The peanut-chile sauce was great - it was dense but the acidity of the lime brightened it all up. Then the combo of the zucchini with the tomato vinaigrette played so nicely together. And then the crunch of the peanuts. The tuna itself held up so nicely to the other flavors. Like I said, it was wonderful dish. And I loved how it looked on the plate as well. I would make it again, and watch carefully not to overcook the fish.
Page: 208
Date Cooked: September 2, 2012
The idea of a tuna "roast" was a novel one and I was curious to see what exactly that entailed. Luckily the fish guy at my grocer was able to get me the right kind of piece of tuna. So there may be a bit of advanced planning for this recipe.
 |
| Ingredients: Tuna, olive oil, Kosher salt, pepper, jalapeno chile, peanuts, red bell pepper, lime, garlic, unsalted butter, cilantro, plum tomatoes, sherry vinegar, and zucchini |
I rubbed the tuna with olive oil, salt and pepper, and then set it aside.
 |
| Tuna "loin" with olive oil, salt, and pepper |
I roasted the jalapeno on the stove top till blackened and blistered all over. I placed it in a bowl, covered, and let it steam for a bit. I peeled the jalapeno by hand, stemmed, seeded, and diced.
 |
| The jalapeno journey |
I tossed the peanuts with a little olive oil and water, placed it on a baking sheet, and roasted them in the oven until golden brown.
 |
| Roasting peanuts |
With a mortar and pestle, I mashed 3/4 of the peanuts with the jalapeno, a garlic clove, and some olive oil. I cut butter into chunks and integrated that into the peanut-chile mixture along with fresh lime juice. Finally, I stirred in the chopped cilantro and diced red bell pepper. I also seasoned the sauce with salt and pepper.
 |
| Making the tuna-peanut chile sauce |
I diced the tomatoes. I whisked vinegar with salt, pepper, and olive oil. I added the tomatoes and set the bowl aside.
 |
| Tomatoes in vinaigrette |
I sliced the zucchini into strips. I heated olive oil in a skillet and added the zucchini, seasoning it lightly with salt and pepper. I sauteed the zucchini for a bit and kept it warm.
 |
| Sauteeing the zucchini |
I placed the tuna on a baking sheet and roasted for a few minutes on each side. I removed the tuna and let it rest.
 |
| Resting tuna |
Then it was time to plate. I put the zucchini on the plate first and sprinkled it with the tomato vinaigrette and the remaining peanuts. I topped it the a piece of the tuna and some of the peanut-chile sauce. Finally, I garnished it the some cilantro.
 |
| Tuna with Peanut-Chile Sauce |
So I made one major error... I overcooked the tuna. This itself was devastating since it was such a beautiful piece of fish. However, in spite of this, the dish was delicious. Beautifully balanced with texture right and left. The peanut-chile sauce was great - it was dense but the acidity of the lime brightened it all up. Then the combo of the zucchini with the tomato vinaigrette played so nicely together. And then the crunch of the peanuts. The tuna itself held up so nicely to the other flavors. Like I said, it was wonderful dish. And I loved how it looked on the plate as well. I would make it again, and watch carefully not to overcook the fish.
Enjoy!
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