Raw fish used to gross me out in all forms but I have slowly come to appreciate its soft texture and fresh flavor. Tuna is pretty mild tasting and tender, and I think it goes really nicely with light citrus flavors. Served in this way it is seared lightly to lock in the flavors from the marinade while still maintaing its buttery texture. With the avocado it makes for a creamy salad that does not really require any dressing besides a light drizzle of fresh lemon juice.
Citrus Albacore Tuna Salad
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
Serves: 4
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 lb albacore tuna fillet, sushi quality
- 1 tablespoon cold-pressed olive oil
- Marinade
- ¼ cup cold-pressed olive oil
- 6 fresh sage leaves
- 6 stems of fresh oregano
- ¼ cup chives/green onion
- 2 cloves of garlic, peeled and sliced
- 1 orange
- 1 lemon
- Salad
- 8 cups mesclun greens
- ¼ cup green onion, sliced
- 2 large avocados, sliced
- 1 lemon, quartered
- Sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
DIRECTIONS:
- Marinate the tuna for 8-24 hours with all the marinade in a large plastic bag, flipping occasionally if possible, the longer it marinates the better. Heat the 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat, not too hot that it starts to smoke. Discard the marinade and sear the tuna by placing the whole fillet in the skillet for 30 seconds to 1 minute per side. The longer it sears the more the fish will be cooked, I recommend around 30 seconds per side, if it is cooked too much it becomes really hard to slice and flakes apart like canned tuna. Once seared on all sides, remove from the heat and let it sit for a minute before slicing thinly. Plate the salad greens with the green onion and avocado, sprinkle very lightly with salt and pepper, then place the tuna on the top. Serve the lemon wedge on the side so the fresh juice can be squeezed over.