"Y" is for Yellowfin


Also known as ahi, yellowfin is a big, delicious tuna. It is so good, that is it frequently eaten raw as sashimi, tuna tartar, or cooked just barely - seared on the outside, and rare in the middle.
 
If you are lucky enough to live near the sea, you will likely have an abundance of fresh yellowfin at your disposal. When choosing your tuna, be sure that all you smell is fresh, oceany fish. If the smell is off-putting, leave it be. When you get it home, store it in the fridge loosely covered in paper, preferably in a perforated pan to allow any accumulated juices to drain away. If the fish must be stored longer than 2-3 days, wrap it in paper and an air tight bag for storage in the freezer.
 
If your fresh fish selection is more limited, check the freezer section. Frozen fish today are of very high quality, usually flash-frozen on board the ship that caught them. When buying frozen fish, be sure it is free of ice, and has no signs of having been defrosted and re-frozen. Pieces should be in a natural shape, with only a light coating of frost. Look for an expiration date on the packaging as well. Frozen fish should be defrosted slowly, in the refrigerator, for 24-36 hours. Be sure to place defrosting fish in a colander or perforated pan to separate run-off juices. Smaller pieces can be cooked directly out of the freezer.
 
This tuna recipe is the perfect meal for a summer evening, especially when made with sweet, ripe tomatoes at your local Farmer's Market. If you are without a grill it can be prepared under your broiler.
 
The flavorful topping of this dish gets lot of salt from the olives and capers. Because of this, use a light hand when salting the fish. It's easier to add more salt at the table than it is to fix it once over-salted.
 
Yellowfin Tuna with Tomatoes, Olives and Capers
 
INGREDIENTS

2 large, ripe tomatoes, chopped
1 cup kalamata olives, pitted and halved
1 yellow onion, minced
[1/4] cup capers
[1/4] cup fresh parsley, chopped
[1/2] cup olive oil
[1/2] cup red wine vinegar
4 (3 oz.) yellowfin tuna steaks
[1/2] cup lemon juice
[1/8] tsp. kosher salt
[1/2] tsp. black pepper
 
METHOD

1. Preheat grill on high heat. In a large bowl combine tomatoes, olives, onions, capers, parsley, olive oil, and wine vinegar. Toss together and set aside at room temperature.
 
2. Coat tuna steaks with lemon juice, salt, pepper, and grill. Cook 5 minutes per side to mark with the grill, or to desired doneness. Serve immediately topped with tomato mixture.
 

**** You can prepare the topping to this dish up to a day in advance. The added time will intensify the flavors.

 

print this recipe

Autumn Recipes