Grilled Tuna Steaks
with Orange-Chile Topping
Makes 4 servings
At Loring Place, we make this dish with extra-fatty tuna bellies, which we cook to medium. If your fishmonger has some tuna bellies to spare, I highly encourage doing the same, but I’ve adapted the recipe for easier-to-find tuna steaks. With this thicker, less-fatty cut of tuna, I like to grill it just until it picks up some char, leaving the fish as rare as possible, but feel free to cook it to your preferred doneness.
Marinated Tuna
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- Four 6-ounce tuna steaks
- ⅓ cup red wine vinegar
- ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 teaspoons red pepper flakes
Combine the salt and sugar and season the tuna steaks all over with the mixture. In a bowl, whisk together the vinegar, olive oil, and red pepper flakes. Transfer to a large resealable plastic bag, add the tuna, and marinate for 30 to 60 minutes.
Orange-Chile Topping
- 1½ cups extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 1 red finger chile, thinly sliced (with seeds)
- Strips of zest from 1 medium orange, finely chopped
- 1 cup lightly packed mint, large leaves torn
- 1 cup lightly packed basil, large leaves torn
In a medium saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat to 325°F. Add the garlic and fry for 1 minute, then add the chile and fry for 1 minute longer. Add the orange zest, mint, and basil and fry until the herbs are crisp, 30 to 60 seconds longer. Strain the oil into a heatproof bowl and let cool to room temperature. Return the fried garlic, chiles, orange zest, and herbs to the oil.
Pickled Shallots
Makes about 2 cups
- 8 medium shallots, thinly sliced
- 1½ teaspoons yellow mustard seeds
- 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
- 2 teaspoons fennel seeds
- 1 tablespoon cumin seeds
- 1 dried red chile
- 1 dried bay leaf
- 1¾ cups apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons sugar
Place the shallots in a sterilized pint-size jar.
In a small skillet, toast the mustard, coriander, fennel, and cumin seeds over low heat until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Let cool. Add to the jar along with the chile and bay leaf.
In a small saucepan, combine the vinegar and sugar. Bring to a boil, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Pour over the shallots and let cool to room temperature. Seal the jar and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.
For Serving
- Marinated Tuna
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 clementine half or 2 orange wedges
- 2 lemon wedges
- Orange-Chile Topping
- ¼ cup Pickled Shallots
- 1 clementine or orange, for zesting
- Flaky sea salt
Prepare a hot grill or preheat a grill pan over high heat. Remove the tuna from the marinade and pat dry. Season with kosher salt and pepper and rub all over with olive oil. Clean and oil the grill grate, then grill the tuna until well browned on one side, 3 to 4 minutes. Using a thin metal spatula, flip the tuna over and continue grilling until browned on the other side, about 3 minutes longer for rare. Transfer to a platter or individual plates and squeeze some clementine and lemon juice over the fish. Spoon some of the topping over the fish, then scatter the pickled shallots over. Grate some clementine zest over, season with flaky salt and pepper, and serve.
The Takeaway
I like contrasting soft, fatty tuna with a crispy topping, and the combination of fried garlic, chile, and herbs that tops the grilled tuna here is just what the dish needs to make it complete. Technique-wise, this is the inverse of the Ginger-Scallion Topping, in which hot oil is poured over the other ingredients. Here, I heat a larger amount of olive oil, to which I add the herbs and other ingredients. This both makes the herbs extra crispy and infuses the oil with their flavor, creating a sauce that is brightened with a squeeze of citrus. The topping works really well on any crudo, sashimi, or other raw fish preparation, or you can add it to soba to make a lovely noodle salad.
