Makes 4 servings
Miso paste is a fermented soy bean paste, available in most large supermarkets and from health-food stores. Combined with butter, it’s the ultimate East/West fusion, a wonderfully salty match-up that makes the tuna and the accompanying kale rich and satisfying.
6 cups shredded stemmed kale
1 tablespoon unseasoned rice vinegar
1 tablespoon soy sauce (gluten-free if that is a concern)
1 tablespoon mirin
1½ pounds thick-cut tuna steaks, cut into 1-inch cubes
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 teaspoons white miso paste
1. Position the rack in the center of the oven; heat the oven to 450°F.
2. Toss the kale, vinegar, soy sauce, and mirin in a 9 x 13-inch baking dish until the kale is evenly coated. Roast for 5 minutes.
3. Working slightly off-center, thread the tuna chunks onto four 10-inch bamboo skewers. Then insert a second skewer through the chunks so each batch is on two parallel skewers. Mix the butter and miso paste in a small bowl.
4. Toss the kale in the pan. Set the skewers side by side crosswise on the roasting pan so the bamboo ends rest on the pan sides and the chunks hang over the kale mixture. Brush the tuna skewers with half the miso butter, letting any excess fall onto the kale below.
5. Roast for 5 minutes, then turn the skewers over and brush them with the remaining miso butter. Continue roasting until the tuna is medium-rare, about 5 minutes longer. Transfer the skewers to serving plates or a platter; dish up the kale mixture below as the side dish.