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Za’atar encrusted Ahi Tuna with wilted Arugula

The best fish alternative to fillet mignon!

The best fish alternative to fillet mignon!

Pearl Harbor day. There’s not a huge amount of meaning for my generation except that it put us squarely into World War II. And It’s got me craving tuna.

I’ve been craving Ahi Tuna, the way I stumbled on making it the day after my first and only trip to Pearl Harbor.  I didn’t even see any connection until today; now I see that maybe it was meant to happen all along – it’s only a flavor thing, after all.  But I’m feeling definite freedom from the way everybody else has their tuna.

Let me back up a bit. I’ve never really gotten the whole ‘my tuna is barely cooked’ thing.  When I went to see my friend Glen in Honolulu last spring, I was so glad he took us to Duke’s on Waikiki Beach, because Duke’s isn’t all about serving raw tuna – it’s about serving fish. Oh, and it just so happens to have a drop-dead view of the most beautiful beach in the world. 

A little while after I came back to Seattle, I tried to replicate the dish.  I’ll be the first to admit I got somewhat off track.  I used different spices, a different thickness, and different veggies to go with it. But what I want to convey, is that whole ‘freedom’ thing.  Duke’s kitchen was the catalyst that told me it was alright to not want to eat it any way I wanted as long as it was raw.  Duke’s actually served me a good portion of ahi tuna that was cooked medium! Thanks, Duke’s. Now I get it. Tuna can be almost, well, like fillet mignon if it’s done right.

So here you go – my version of beefless fillet mignon. 

If you can’t find Za’atar, it’s available online at World Spice Market.  And forget any hangup you might have with arugula; it’s perfect for this dish.  Enjoy!

Za’atar encrusted Ahi Tuna with wilted Arugula

Ingredients for 6 servings:

1 ½ pounds fresh Ahi tuna

6 teaspoons Za’atar

1 ½ teaspoons salt

 

4 Tablespoons canola oil

8 ounces fresh arugula

 

  1. Cut tuna into 4 ounce pieces, rinse with water and remove to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.
  2. Mix za’atar and salt in a small bowl. When the tuna has lost its wet sheen, coat it top and bottom with this spice rub. Let sit 15 minutes or more at room temperature.
  3. Heat 1 Tablespoon oil in a non-stick pan over medium-hot flame until fairly hot. Cook 2 pieces of fish at a time (use two or three pans if you can here). You will see the cooked crust move up from the bottom. It will take 2 minutes per side if you like your tuna rare, or 3 minutes per side if you like it medium. Turn to cook the other side and remove to a hot plate.
  4. Clean out the pan, and use the remaining Tablespoon of oil to sauté the arugula for 1 minute, until just wilted. 
  5. Divide the arugula among 6 plates, put a piece of fish on top and serve hot.

 

Copyright 2009 by Don Hogeland

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A sample text widget

Etiam pulvinar consectetur dolor sed malesuada. Ut convallis euismod dolor nec pretium. Nunc ut tristique massa.

Nam sodales mi vitae dolor ullamcorper et vulputate enim accumsan. Morbi orci magna, tincidunt vitae molestie nec, molestie at mi. Nulla nulla lorem, suscipit in posuere in, interdum non magna.