Blackened Tuna Steaks with Asparagus on Vegetable Mashed Potatoes

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Photo of Blackened Tuna

This is my favorite way to cook tuna. The tuna stays tender and has a wonderful spicy herb-and-smoke flavor.

Ingredients

  • 1 lb potatoes
  • milk
  • 1 red bell pepper
  • 10 medium size mushrooms (brown or white)
  • 1 small onion
  • 2 cloves of garlic
  • 1/2 cup chicken (or vegetable) stock
  • 1/2 cup dry white wine
  • 1 lb sashimi-grade tuna
  • 12 green asparagus
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 1tsp olive oil
  • salt, pepper to taste
  • Blackening spice:
    • 5 tsp mild paprika
    • 1 tsp dried thyme
    • 1 tsp dried oregano
    • 1 tsp cayenne pepper
    • 1 tsp black pepper
    • 1/2 tsp garlic powder

Preparation

  1. Combine the ingredients for the blackening spice.
  2. peel onion, cut into half rings
  3. core bell pepper, cut into strips
  4. mince garlic
  5. wash asparagus, remove lower third of stems
  6. cut tuna steaks if necessary, coat with blackening spice
  7. peel potatoes, boil in water until soft (ca 20min)
  8. heat butter in heavy pan, add onions, cook on medium heat until golden brown (ca. 5-10min, add sliced bell pepper, cook another 5min, add garlic, cook 2min, add chicken broth and white wine, set on low heat, continue to simmer
  9. heat olive oil and 4tbsp water in heavy saucepan. Add 1 tsp of salt. Add asparagus, cover, cook for ca. 5-8min (to taste)
  10. heat stainless pan to very high heat, sear tuna steaks, 2min on top and bottom, 15-30sec per small side
  11. Mash potatoes, add vegetables, stir in milk until consistency is right, add salt to taste
  12. Spread potatoes on plate, put tuna on top, garnish with asparagus.

Preparation time: ca. 1h.

Yields 2 servings

 

Notes

  • Blackening the fish produces a lot of smoke. I strongly recommend to not attempt this without an exhaust fan. If you don't have one, you can place the fish on a grate, go outside and blacken/cook it with a soldering torch (the little kitchen torches won't work for that). Just sweep the flame over all sides of the fish until nice and blackened.
  • In my experience,there is just no way to reasonably prepare mashed potatoes from less than 1 lb of potatoes. You will likely have leftover vegetable mashed potatoes.
  • I'm normally using a pressure cooker to cook the potatoes.


Photo of Blackened Tuna (cut in half)