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This recipe is adapted from a recipe we made in a class I recently took at The Learning Kitchen in West Chester, Ohio. If you have the opportunity to take any classes such as this one, I recommend it. I always learn something new each time I go. Check to see if there is a culinary school near you that offers classes to nonculinary degree students. That would be a great place to start.
We used salmon in class, but I decided to use tuna for this. The tuna is resting on a bed of radish greens in the picture. You aren't likely to find those anywhere so I would use arugula or spinach if you would like to use greens as a bed for the tuna.
I will admit that I was a little nervous about the fennel in the topping because I am not a fan of licorice-flavored things, but it turned out surprisingly mild and a perfect accompaniment for the fish.
Tuna Steak with Fennel and Onions
Ingredients
For the tuna steaks:
1 tuna steak for each person, up to four
Salt and pepper, to taste
Olive oil, coconut oil, ghee, or butter for cooking
Greens for plating
For the topping for the tuna steaks:
1 bulb of fennel, trimmed, cut in half and sliced very thin, as thin as you can get it
½ to 1 medium onion, diced
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped
1 teaspoon fresh parsley, chopped
Salt and pepper, to taste
Olive oil, coconut oil, ghee or butter for cooking
1/4 lemon, juiced
Directions
The tuna will cook relatively fast so it is important to have the topping and any side dishes done before you start cooking the tuna.
For the topping:
In a cast iron skillet, melt some cooking fat and add the fennel and onions. Salt and pepper the vegetables and allow them to cook slowly over low heat until they just begin to caramelize or turn a bit brown. When the fennel and onions are almost done, add the garlic, thyme, and about half of the parsley and cook for another minute or two, but don’t allow it to burn. Remove to a bowl, give it a squeeze of lemon juice, and set aside until ready to serve the tuna.
While the fennel and onions are cooking, remove the tuna from its packaging. If previously frozen, make sure to thaw it out completely and pat it dry with several layers of paper towels to draw out the excess moisture. Salt and pepper both sides of the tuna steaks and set them aside until the fennel and onions are done cooking.
Once the fennel and onions are cooked and set aside, wipe out the pan so there are no veggie slices in the pan to burn while the tuna cooks. Turn up the heat to medium and allow the pan to heat up for a few minutes. Add some cooking fat and place the tuna steaks in the pan. If needed, cook in batches to avoid crowding the pan.
Be careful not to add too much fat to the pan or you could get a nasty splatter burn. Learn from my experience, please.
Do not try to turn the tuna steaks too soon. Allow them to cook until you can see the color on the sides of the steak changing about halfway up the side. Gently nudge the spatula or turner under the tuna and see if it wants to lift. If it is stubborn, give it another minute or two before trying again. When it is ready to flip, the flesh will allow itself to be removed from the pan. When it is not ready to flip, the flesh will stick. Trying to remove it too soon could result in a crumbly mess of fish in the pan. Be patient. My one inch tuna steaks took about 5 minutes to cook on the first side.
Once the fish has been flipped, it should be nicely browned on the cooked side. Allow it to cook for a few minutes more. Note: flip the tuna steak away from you so any splattering of the oil will be toward the back of the stove and not you.
If you take your middle finger and touch your thumb, then poke the base of your thumb, the base of your thumb will feel the same sponginess as the fish will feel when it is cooked medium. Use your ring finger and that is medium well. Your pinky would be well done. You will want to aim for medium to medium well.
To plate:
Pile a mess of greens on a plate. I've used radish greens here because they looked cool when they popped up on my grocery delivery order, but you could use arugula or any other lettuce you have. You could even place whatever side dish you are serving in the middle of the plate, like green beans or asparagus. Place the tuna on top of the greens or your side dish. Spoon the topping on top of the tuna. Sprinkle the plate with the leftover chopped parsley.
I’ve made this with both salmon and tuna and both have been a hit with my picky teenager. You could stretch the topping to go with at least four tuna steaks.
