At Ubin restaurant in Costa Rica we loved tuna that had been seared with fennel seed and coriander seed. I actually preferred this mix and wished to strive it at residence. The picture was made with my telephone in dangerous lighting circumstances.
The elements wanted are quite simple: a tuna steak, fennel seed, coriander seed, salt, and olive oil.
There isn’t any sous vide on this recipe, however you do want a vacuum machine to get the seeds to stay to the tuna. For the most effective taste and texture, you need to enable a while for the salt to penetrate into the fish. Due to this fact the tuna ought to be salted and vacuum sealed with the seeds the night time earlier than or the morning earlier than.
First season the tuna on all sides with superb desk salt. The correct amount of salt is a matter of private desire, however I like to make use of about 1% by weight. So for a tuna steak of 300 grams (.66 lb) that may be 3 grams, or about 1/2 teaspoon of desk salt.
Then put the tuna within the bag. Put the seeds on the tuna contained in the bag. I used a couple of 1/2 tablespoon of coriander and a 1/2 tablespoon of fennel per facet for a tuna steak of 300 grams (.66 lb). Unfold out the seeds together with your fingers. The tuna ought to be virtually coated with seeds, however solely in a single layer, and the seeds ought to be evenly distributed.
Then rigorously flip the bag with the tuna, supporting the facet with the seeds together with your hand when you flip. Then put the seeds on the opposite facet. If you find yourself completed, rigorously place the bag within the vacuum sealer, once more supporting the bag together with your hand.
Enable the tuna to relaxation within the fridge.
Enable the tuna to return to room temperature. Brush the tuna with olive oil on each side earlier than searing.
We had been consuming on the boat, so I used a highly regarded charcoal grill and direct warmth, with the tuna positioned very near the warmth supply. Grill the tuna, turning solely as soon as, till the seeds are golden. You continue to need the tuna to be uncommon on the within, so this solely works nicely with a thick tuna steak. A skinny steak could be overcooked earlier than the seeds have been toasted correctly.
Searing it in a highly regarded frying pan is less complicated. Due to the direct warmth switch it’s simpler to toast the seeds and sear the skin with out overcooking the within, additionally for a thinner tuna steak. Be sure that to make use of a heavy (thick-bottomed) frying pan and preheat it nicely. Flip the tuna solely as soon as. (Turning extra typically will enhance cooking the within and reduce searing the skin, which is the alternative of what we’re in search of on this case.)
Enable the tuna to relaxation briefly earlier than slicing and serving.
We loved a Bandol rosé with this, which is a little more spicy than an everyday Provence rosé (however an excellent Provence rosé would additionally work, or a barely chilled Pinot Noir, particularly from Germany (known as Spätburgunder there)).
