COLD

Special Tuna with Avocado, Wasabi Mayo and Rocket

After offering the Fresh Sashimi Tuna with Sun-Dried Tomato and Green Olive Tapenade sandwich (see recipe) in the shop for 10 years, one day we decided to make a summer version. This has now taken over as the most popular sandwich. I still love the other version, which I find more of a winter choice. I prefer it on ciabatta or a crunchy white bread.

Ingredients

3 tablespoons Wasabi Mayo (see recipe)

1 handful young rocket (arugula) leaves

200 g (7 oz) sashimi-grade tuna

as required olive oil

salt and black pepper

½ lemon

a few sprigs fresh coriander (cilantro)

1 large Hass avocado

Method

Heat a chargrill pan or plate on high. While the pan is heating, slice the ciabatta open and spread one side with the wasabi mayo and some rocket leaves. Coat your chunk of fresh tuna in olive oil, and rub some of the oil in so that it’s not dripping. Salt and pepper this now. Sear the tuna on each side for no more than a minute or two, depending on the thickness of the steak. Make sure you don’t cook it through; you want to keep that delicate sashimi-raw centre.

Take the tuna out of the pan, and let it sit for a minute so that it doesn’t flake when you cut it. At the shop we have a professional slicer but, at home, you’ll have to mimic this with the thinnest, sharpest knife you’ve got. Slice the tuna in 5 mm (¼ inch) pieces and layer on top of the mayo and rocket. Give it a squeeze of lemon and salt and pepper, then place the coriander on top. Slice the avocado onto the other side of bread and press firmly. Place on top to make the sandwich.