Bridget Makes: Sesame-Seared Tuna

A few weeks ago we went to see the Big Easy Rollergirls roller derby bout (which I highly recommend if you are ever in town), and when we arrived home, we discovered a copy of Ralph Brennan’s new cookbook on our front stoop. Since I was craving fish last weekend, I thought it was the perfect time to peruse this generous gift. The recipe for Sesame-Seared Tuna with Avocado-Horseradish Sauce sounded wonderful- light and cool with just a bit of kick. I decided I just wouldn’t tell Blake about the avocado part.

This recipe turned out to be easy and delicious– perfect for a light lunch. (And Blake even said the avocado sauce was good…pretty high praise for someone who usually detests avocado.)

Note- Ralph serves this as an appetizer. I just made bigger portions and skipped the fancy plating for a simple lunch.

Recipe courtesy of Ralph Brennan’s New Orleans Seafood Cookbook.

Ingredients (Avocado-Horseradish Sauce):

• 1 large (about 10 oz) very ripe avocado
• 1/3 cup water
• 1 TB plus 1 tsp rice-wine vinegar
• 1 TB prepared horseradish
• 2 tsp sour cream
• kosher salt, to taste
• freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions (Avocado-Horseradish Sauce):

• In the bowl of a blender, combine all ingredients and process to a smooth sauce.
• Transfer the mixture to a nonreactive storage bowl, and cover with plastic wrap so the plastic touches the entire surface of the sauce to keep it from turning brown. Chill at least one hour before serving.

Ingredients (Tuna):

• 3 tuna steaks, 6 to 7 oz each, 1 inch thick
• kosher salt, to taste
• freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 3 TB plus 1 tsp black sesame sees
• 1 TB extra-virgin olive oil

Directions (Tuna):

• Generously season each tuna steak with kosher salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle each steak on all sides with black sesame seeds, using a total of 3 TB plus 1 tsp black sesame seeds distributed among the three steaks.
• Heat an empty, heavy non-stick 12-inch skillet over high heat just until short of smoking, about two minutes. Add the olive oil to the hot skillet and heat for 30 seconds. Arrange the tuna steaks in the skillet without crowding them (saute in batches if needed), and saute on the four sides (think of the four sides of a shoebox), but not the ends, for just 15 seconds per side, to sear the outside while keeping the inside rare.
• Remove the skillet from heat and transfer the steaks to a plate. Cool briefly, cover and refrigerate at least two hours or up to eight hours.

For Serving:

• 2 large ripe avocados
• 2 1/2 to 3 ounces fresh sprouts (such as radish sprouts or pea shoots or other sprouts with a bite), or 1 1/2 ounces baby arugula
• 1 TB black sesame seeds, for garnish

• Peel and halve the avocados and remove the pits. Cut two of the avocado halves lengthwise into four slices each. Cut the other two halves lengthwise into five slices each.
• Slice each of the 3 chilled tuna steaks crosswise into six equal slices, to produce a total of 18 slices.
• Mound a portion of the sprouts in the center of each chilled salad plate, then arrange three avocado slices and three tuna slices alternately around the sprouts, like spokes on a wheel.
• Spoon 1/2 tsp of the avocado sauce at the foot of each tuna slice.
• Season to taste with kosher salt and pepper and garnish with a sprinkle of black sesame seeds. Serve immediately.