Grilled Tuna is super easy to cook. Throw it in a hot pan or on the grill, flip after a couple minutes and voila – you’re done.
In this recipe, I start by marinating the tuna in a mixture of olive oil, soy sauce, ginger, garlic, cilantro, and lime juice. The trick is to marinate the tuna for only 15 minutes. If you’ve ever made ceviche, you know that acid from the citrus can cook the fish. You want to avoid that in this recipe. Don’t discard the marinade! Instead, transfer it to a small sauce pan and reduce. You will want to drizzle this over the seared ahi at serving time.
There are several ways to sear ahi tuna. A nonstick skillet will do the trick, but I like to use a grill pan, to get those nice grill marks. Either way, medium-high heat will produce a good sear.
Since the goal is to serve the tuna with a good sear on the outside but still raw in the center, the tuna doesn’t need to be cooked any longer than 2 to 3 minutes per side. That being said, if you’d like your tuna a little more well done, feel free to increase the cooking time. I love to serve this over garlic sauteed spinach but it is also tasty over rice.
For the wine, this pairs perfectly with Scout and Cellar GALLIVANT SAUVIGNON BLANC! This wine is lively and fruit-forward with white peach, guava, key lime and candy balanced by a subtle minerality on a bright frame with a juicy finish. Pairs perfectly with Thai or Vietnamese takeaway and a few episodes of your new favorite series.
Ingredients
- 2 tuna steak (ahí or yellowfin)
- pinch of salt and pepper
- 6 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- 4 Tbs. Liquid Aminos or Soy sauce
- 2 tsp freshly minced ginger
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup chopped cilantro
- juice of 1 lime, plus the zest
- 2 tsp sugar
- 1 teaspoon Red Pepper flakes
- 1 avocado, thinly sliced
- 8 cups spinach
Instructions
Season both sides of the tuna with salt and pepper.
In a small bowl, whisk together 3 tablespoons olive oil, soy sauce, ginger, garlic, cilantro, lime juice, zest and sugar. Add the fish and marinate for at least 15 minutes.
In a small skillet heat the last 3 tablespoons of oil. Add the spinach and wilt slightly. Toss in a teeny pinch of salt and pepper. Remove from heat and set aside.
Remove the fish from the marinade and grill (or sear) for 2 minutes on each side. Keep it rare in the center. PLEASE!
Pour the remaining marinade into a small saucepan and reduce until it becomes thick, 2 minutes.
Place the wilted spinach on a plate and top with the grilled fish, followed by the sliced avocado and a nice drizzle of the reduction.
Whisk Away Kitchen 