This fresh seared little tunny recipe (AKA False Albacore recipe) is served over a vegetarian ceviche salad of fresh lime juice, crisp peppers, jalapeños, red onion, green onion, and avocado.
Little Tunny is a common "smaller" tuna in the Atlantic Ocean and best eaten marinated in citrus or seared and rare.
Traditional ceviche uses raw fish marinated / cooked in citrus. This little tunny recipe sears the fish first and then serves it over a vegetarian ceviche like salad.
Our fisherman / fishmonger - Mark Marhefka at Abundant Seafood in Charleston recently caught and brought in little tunny (false albacore) for our CSF (community supported fishery).
Tips For Searing Little Tunny
Little tunny is.... well, little. You want the pan to be smoking hot so the sear doesn't cook the fish through.
When searing false albacore at high heat use a high smoking point oil like grapeseed, vegetable, or safflower oil.
Add a little butter if you want it to brown up. Butter has a low smoking point and burns quickly and will help brown and caramelize the little tunny.
Lastly, fish is generally easiest to sear and clean up (for most people) in a non-stick skillet.
Tips For Making The Ceviche Like Salad
If you are making the ceviche like salad ahead of time, do everything as is, but save the avocado for dicing and stirring in right before serving.
Serving Suggestion
Keep it light and fresh and serve this Little Tunny summer dish with a Prosciutto wrapped melon appetizer, Parmesan crisps, and a veggie like Fava beans as a side, and finish it off with a berry Gazpacho for dessert. Yum - don't forget to invite me!
Things In My Kitchen:
- Fish spatula for gently flipping delicate fish.
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Seared Little Tunny (False Albacore) and Ceviche Salad
EatSimpleFood.com
This little tunny recipe (False Albacore recipe) sears the little tunny first and serves over a fresh ceviche like salad.
- Prep Time: 35 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 4
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Coastal
- Diet: Gluten Free
Ingredients
- 1 ½ lb Little Tunny / False Albacore, 4 pieces
- 1 large avocado, diced
- 1 medium orange bell pepper, diced
- 1 ½ cups cherry tomatoes, quartered
- ½ small jalapeno, finely diced
- 3 tablespoon red onion, diced
- 3 green onions, sliced on the bias (diagonal)
- 1 ½ limes, juiced
- 2 Tbsp e.v. olive oil
- ½ teaspoon salt
- pinch black pepper
Instructions
- Lightly salt and pepper the little tunny fish.
- In a large bowl add the olive oil, lime juice, salt, and pepper and mix. Add all other ingredients except the avocado and fish.
- Stir and gently fold in the avocado to the mixture. Add salt to taste and add a little more lime juice if you like it tangier.
- Bring a large nonstick pan to medium high heat and add a touch of oil to lightly coat the bottom of the pan.
- When sizzling hot, add little tunny steaks and sear on all sides (usually three sides). Sear for ~ 1 minute on each side and gently flip
.
- Plate the ceviche salad and add the seared fish on top.
.Notes
- If you are making this ahead of time, do everything as is, but save the avocado for dicing & stirring in right before serving.
- When searing fish or meat at high heat use a high smoking point oil like grapeseed, vegetable, or safflower oil.
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