Pepper-Seared Tuna
by Nigella. Featured in NIGELLA SUMMERIntroduction
Those of my vintage may remember this dish from the eighties fondly as Tataki of Tuna: a log of ludicrously rubied fish, rolled in pepper, briefly seared and eaten finely sliced with shredded spring onions and twiggy strips of cucumber. Dunk in soy as you eat or make up a few blobs of sinus-clearing wasabi. If you do have some wasabi to hand, you can use this for smearing over the tuna, before coating it with peppercorns, in place of the English mustard stipulated below.
And please read the Additional Information section at the end of the recipe before proceeding.
For US cup measures, use the toggle at the top of the ingredients list.
Those of my vintage may remember this dish from the eighties fondly as Tataki of Tuna: a log of ludicrously rubied fish, rolled in pepper, briefly seared and eaten finely sliced with shredded spring onions and twiggy strips of cucumber. Dunk in soy as you eat or make up a few blobs of sinus-clearing wasabi. If you do have some wasabi to hand, you can use this for smearing over the tuna, before coating it with peppercorns, in place of the English mustard stipulated below.
And please read the Additional Information section at the end of the recipe before proceeding.
For US cup measures, use the toggle at the top of the ingredients list.
Ingredients
Serves: 8 as a starter
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon English mustard (from a jar)
- 4 tablespoons black peppercorns (crushed roughly)
- 500 grams sashimi-quality tuna fillet (cut in long even thickness)
- cucumber (cut into slender batons)
- 4 spring onions (cut into strips)
- 1 tablespoon asian sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon English mustard (from a jar)
- ¼ cup black peppercorns (crushed roughly)
- 1 pound sashimi-quality tuna fillet (cut in long even thickness)
- cucumber (cut into slender batons)
- 4 scallions (cut into strips)
Method
- In a small bowl mix the oil and mustard, and use a pastry brush to paint it on the tuna. Roll the tuna in the crushed peppercorns so that the long sides of the log are covered, but the ends are not.
- Heat a dry frying pan until it's very hot and cook the tuna on all the long sides, searing the fish to about 3mm / one-eighth of an inch in a circle around the edge. You'll be able to see how much of it's cooked, because the ruby flesh will turn brown and the depth of the ring, if you see what I mean, will be evident from the uncoated round ends. Take out of the pan immediately and cool on a plate.
- With a sharp knife cut into the finest slices you can and serve with the cucumber and spring onions and soy, dipping sauce, wasabi, as you please.
- In a small bowl mix the oil and mustard, and use a pastry brush to paint it on the tuna. Roll the tuna in the crushed peppercorns so that the long sides of the log are covered, but the ends are not.
- Heat a dry frying pan until it's very hot and cook the tuna on all the long sides, searing the fish to about 3mm / one-eighth of an inch in a circle around the edge. You'll be able to see how much of it's cooked, because the ruby flesh will turn brown and the depth of the ring, if you see what I mean, will be evident from the uncoated round ends. Take out of the pan immediately and cool on a plate.
- With a sharp knife cut into the finest slices you can and serve with the cucumber and scallions and soy, dipping sauce, wasabi, as you please.
Additional Information
For gluten free use tamari instead of soy sauce and gluten free Dijon mustard instead of English mustard. Most wasabi is gluten free but please check packaging.
MAKE AHEAD / STORE:
It is not advisable to make ahead or store.
For gluten free use tamari instead of soy sauce and gluten free Dijon mustard instead of English mustard. Most wasabi is gluten free but please check packaging.
MAKE AHEAD / STORE:
It is not advisable to make ahead or store.
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What 2 Others have said
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Posted by loreneloves on 24th June 2018
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Posted by amalif on 10th June 2014
Show more commentsIt was delicious!! I loved it because I'm used to cooking the tuna, but eating it raw is truly the way to go!
Tried it and its fantastic! The wasabi to me is a must though.