Bigeye (Ahi) Tuna Recipes

Ingredients

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1–2 medium tuna steaks (sushi grade)

1 egg

4 tablespoons of everything bagel seasoning

1 ½ tablespoons sesame seeds

2 teaspoons coarse black pepper

¾ teaspoon sea salt

Directions 

1. In a flat bottomed bowl, mix together everything bagel seasoning, sesame seeds, coarse black pepper, and sea salt. Set the bowl aside, and beat 1 egg in another small bowl.
2. Pat dry the tuna steaks, then coat it in egg and dredge it in the everything crust mixture.
3. Set the coated tuna steaks to the side and in a cast-iron skillet head 2 to 3 tablespoons of sesame oil on high/medium-high heat.
4. When the oil is hot, place your tuna steaks in the pan, moving them carefully so that the everything coating stays intact. Cook for 30 seconds per side, including the edges.
5. Remove the steaks from the skillet and slice thinly with a sharp knife, cutting across the grain of the tuna. 
6. Serve immediately. Pairs well with rice and a sauce of ginger, lime, wasabi, and soy sauce.

Recipe and photo courtesy of the Seafood Nutrition Partnership

Ingredients

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4 tuna steaks, about 1-inch thick

Salt

Black pepper, freshly ground

8 fresh basil leaves

⅔ can petite diced tomatoes, drained

½ pound mushrooms, sliced or chopped

¼ cup dry white wine

2 tablespoons butter, melted

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Place the tuna steaks in a baking pan or dish and sprinkle the steaks with salt and pepper.
3. Place 1 basil leaf over each steak and top each with about 1 tablespoon of tomatoes.
4. Place the 4 remaining basil leaves and a few mushrooms on top.
5. Add the remaining mushrooms and tomatoes around the steaks and drizzle with wine, then with butter.
6. Bake for about 10 minutes or until done.

Recipe courtesy of Mariner’s Menu: 30 Years of Fresh Seafood Ideas by Joyce Taylor, 2003, North Carolina Sea Grant.

Ingredients

Herb Butter

½ cup margarine or butter, softened

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

2 tablespoons minced green onion, including tops

2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley

1 tablespoon minced fresh tarragon

Tuna Steaks

8 tuna steaks

½ cup canola oil

⅓ cup soy sauce

¼ cup fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon lemon zest

½ teaspoon minced fresh garlic

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions

1. Prepare the herb butter. In a small bowl, combine the margarine, mustard, onion, parsley and tarragon. Set aside for flavors to blend.
2. In a small bowl, combine oil, soy sauce, lemon juice, zest, garlic, and pepper. Reserve ⅓ cup.
3. Place steaks in a single layer in a shallow baking dish. Pour remaining marinade over them. Marinate in the refrigerator for 45 minutes, turning once.
4. Place steaks in a well-greased, hinged wire grill. Cook about 4 inches from heat until done on one side, about 6 minutes. Baste top side with reserved marinade and turn. Cook until done, about 6 minutes. Place on a serving dish and spread with herb butter.

Recipe courtesy of Mariner’s Menu: 30 Years of Fresh Seafood Ideas by Joyce Taylor, 2003, North Carolina Sea Grant.

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Ingredients

1 cup mayonnaise

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper

⅛ teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons lemon zest

4 tuna steaks, about 1-inch thick

¼ cup vegetable oil

salt

freshly ground black pepper

Directions

1. Prepare the lemon mayonnaise. In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise, juice, cayenne, salt and zest. Set aside for flavors to blend.
2. Brush steaks with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill about 4 inches from coals until done on one side, about 6 to 7 minutes. Turn and repeat on the other side. Spread with lemon mayonnaise. Serves 4.

Recipe courtesy of Mariner’s Menu: 30 Years of Fresh Seafood Ideas by Joyce Taylor, 2003, North Carolina Sea Grant.

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This recipe works great with any thick-cut fish steaks, including opah, swordfish, grouper, tuna, or mahi.

Ingredients

1 pound opah, cut into 4 pieces

1 tablespoon ground coriander

1 tablespoon ground cumin

½ tablespoon dried oregano

½ teaspoon cayenne pepper

½ teaspoon salt

Pinch of pepper

Directions

1. Preheat charcoal grill. Combine spices in a small bowl. Sprinkle enough spice mix on opah to cover one side. Spray side of opah with a touch of cooking spray (to prevent sticking on the grill).
2. Place opah spice side down and cook for 8 to 10 minutes then flip and cook on the other side for 8 to 10 minutes.

Recipe adapted from Chef Joshua Butler, Florida Chef, 2005 Great American Seafood Cook-Off.

Ingredients

1 ½ pounds yellowfin tuna loin cuts, boneless and skinless, ¾-inch thick

1 tablespoon butter

1 tablespoon olive oil

½ teaspoon dried basil

4 teaspoons chopped parsley

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

¼ cup lemon juice

Salt and pepper to taste

½ teaspoon lemon peel, coarsely grated

Directions

1. Rinse tuna with cold water; pat dry with paper towels.
2. In a small saucepan, melt butter. Add basil, parsley, mustard, lemon juice, and salt and pepper to taste.
3. Place tuna in a glass ceramic baking dish; top with ¾ of the marinade. Marinate in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes, turning once. Drain tuna and discard what’s left of the marinade.
4. Place tuna on a well-greased broiler pan; baste with reserved marinade. Broil 4 to 5 inches from the source of heat for 3 minutes. Tuna should be pink in the center when removed from heat.
5. Transfer to a serving platter and sprinkle with lemon peel to serve.

Ingredients

6 5-ounce portions of tuna

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 cup chopped green onions

1 lemon, quartered and seeded

Pinch of salt

Pinch of pepper

Directions

1. Place tuna on a plate. Coat tuna with olive oil and a sprinkle of salt and pepper.
2. Heat a heavy skillet over medium high heat. Sear tuna to medium rare (about 1 minute on each side) and quickly remove from heat.
3. Garnish with the chopped green onions and lemon.

Ingredients

Vinaigrette

2 tablespoons pepitas, toasted and crushed

1 ounce tuna bottarga (dried caviar, or any other bottarga will do, chopped)

¼ cup freshly squeezed lime juice

¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil

¼ cup pumpkin seed oil

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Tuna Ceviche

½ pound skipjack tuna, cleaned of skin and blood line

2 tablespoons pepitas (pumpkin seeds), toasted and crushed

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions

Vinaigrette

1. With the blade running, add pepitas, bottarga, and lime juice to the food processor.
2. Add the oils and process until incorporated. Season with salt and pepper.

Tuna Ceviche

1. Make sure the tuna is very cold and dice tuna into ¼ -inch cubes using a very sharp knife.
2. In a stainless-steel or glass bowl, mix the diced tuna with ½ of the vinaigrette, salt, and pepper
3. Refrigerate for 20 minutes.
4. Add remaining vinaigrette to the chilled ceviche. Adjust the seasonings again.
5. Serve chilled, garnished with crushed pepitas.

Recipe credit: Chef Guillermo Pernot from One Fish, Two Fish, Crawfish, Bluefish: The Smithsonian Sustainable Seafood Cookbook

Ingredients

Tuna Salad

1 6-ounce can of Wild Pacific albacore tuna (American tuna)

1 tablespoon grated carrot

1 tablespoon chopped celery

1 tablespoon chopped red bell pepper

1 teaspoon sliced chives

1 tablespoon chopped Kalamata olives

1 teaspoon chopped capers

1 lemon, juiced and zested

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

½ cup mayonnaise

1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar

1 teaspoon Sriracha hot sauce

Sandwich

2 thick slices artisan bread

1 handful baby spinach

2 slices provolone cheese

3 slices of tomato

Butter for toasting

Directions

1. Combine all of the tuna salad ingredients together.
2. Spread tuna salad onto the bread and build the sandwich with the remaining sandwich ingredients.
3. Toast the sandwich in butter, either in the oven or on a stove-top.
4. Serve hot.

Recipe credit: Chef Andrew Gruel, Owner and Operator of SlapFish in Huntington Beach, California

Ingredients

Sauce

Olive oil for sautéing

2 tablespoons prosciutto ham, diced

2 cloves fresh garlic, sliced

2 tablespoons red onions, small dice

½ cup chicken stock

1 tablespoon butter

2 cups fresh spinach, trimmed

2 tablespoons golden raisins

3 tablespoons ripe tomato, diced

Salt and pepper to taste

Swordfish Steaks

2 swordfish steaks, 5 ounces each

2 tablespoons flour and 2 tablespoons water

Parmesan crust: mix 1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese, ½ teaspoon oregano, 4 tablespoons Japanese-style bread crumbs, 1 teaspoon granulated garlic

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 fresh rosemary sprigs, 1 lemon wedge, and chopped fresh parsley for garnish

Directions

Sauce

1. While the fish is baking, sauté garlic, onions, and prosciutto in oil until lightly brown. Add chicken stock and stir in butter to thicken. Add raisins and tomatoes and lightly toss in the spinach.
2. Quickly season with salt and pepper and remove from heat to ensure the spinach stays bright green.

Swordfish Steaks

1. Mix two tablespoons of flour and the water to make a “slurry” the consistency of heavy cream. Brush swordfish with the flour slurry and encrust on both sides with the Parmesan breading mixture. Sear the Parmesan-crusted swordfish in hot oil until golden brown and bake in the oven until medium.
2. To serve: Place swordfish over a bed of mashed potatoes, top with sauce, and garnish.

Note: Other types of firm-fleshed fish may be substituted, such as tuna or mahi-mahi.

Recipe from Rob Reper of Virginia Beach, VA for “Chefs’ Seafood Symposium” archives, courtesy of Virginia Sea Grant, Virginia Institute of Marine Science.

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