Featured Recipe
Sweet and Tangy Tuna Salad
By Kate
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Yellowfin tuna steaks seared over high heat with celery salt and cracked pepper. Accompanied by a quick-pickled vegetable medley of celery, English cucumber, and pineapple—marinated in rice vinegar, a hint of sake, and crushed pink peppercorns. Bright, crisp, with a subtle heat from ginger paired against the richness of olive oil sear. Balanced sweet, sour, spicy notes with clean textures. Simple, fast, flavorful. Avoids gluten, dairy, nuts, eggs. Practical tweaks for common kitchen setups included.
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Prep:
25 min
Cook:
15 min
Total:
40 min
Serves:
4 servings
seafood
salad
healthy
dinner
meal prep
Introduction
Crunch of celery. Sweet pop of pineapple. Snap of cucumber skin. Vinegar’s clean zing with sake’s quiet warmth cutting sharp. Tuna slick with olive oil hits pan hot as hell, crackle of sear, edges turning chalky white. Don’t fuss or poke too much; bite edges yield just right, juicy, pink center alive. Pickling breaks down veg but keeps bite—not limp mush. Pink peppercorn crushed just coarser, hits throat differently than black or coriander. Ginger fresh, not powdered, wakes palate without smothering. Celery salt anchors fish, pulls out subtle vegetal notes you miss otherwise. Combos that dance. Timing’s not strict; sensory gets you, not clock. No plastic, sharp knife, clean cuts. Simple interchange for sake and salt spares no flavor drop. You get the drill. Get hands dirty, cook smart. No fluff.
Ingredients
Pickled Vegetables
- 2 branches celery sliced thin julienne style
- ¾ cup pineapple diced small
- 1 small English cucumber unpeeled julienne
- 50 ml rice vinegar (about 3 tbsp)
- 25 ml sake or dry white wine substitute
- 1 ml crushed pink peppercorns (slightly tangier than coriander)
- 1 ml freshly ground black pepper
- 1 ml freshly grated ginger
- Salt to taste
- 4 yellowfin tuna steaks about 150 g each
- 5 ml celery salt (or fine sea salt + celery seed powder blend)
- 25 ml extra virgin olive oil
- Freshly cracked black pepper
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Tuna
About the ingredients
Swapping mirin for sake or dry white wine cuts sweet syrupy edge, offers earthier note that balances pineapple sweetness more naturally. Pink peppercorns offer a floral heat better integrated here than coriander seeds; milder but adds crunch and complexity. Fresh ginger preferred over wasabi powder for cleaner aromatic bite and better control over heat. Celery salt crucial—buy pre-mixed or blend finely ground celery seed with salt at home for authentic background flavor enhancing fish without overpowering. Pineapple diced small to maximize surface contact with pickling liquid, ensures quick marinate in 20 minutes. Cucumber unpeeled to preserve natural bitterness and color—removes extra peeling, waste. Olive oil chosen for searing for flavor; if high heat is concern, use light avocado oil but flavor changes. Keep veg ingredients chilled until prep to maintain snap and color integrity.
Method
Pickled Vegetables
- Mix celery, pineapple, cucumber in bowl. Add rice vinegar and sake—brings a sharper acidity with subtle umami edge from sake, swapping traditional mirin. Toss in crushed pink peppercorns; softer, fruity spice compared to coriander seeds. Fresh ginger grated finely adds warmth and bite, works better than powdered wasabi here which can overpower. Salt lightly, pepper to taste. Rest uncovered for 20 minutes, stirring a couple times; you want crisp veg, not soggy. If too watery, drain a bit before serving.
- Pat tuna dry with paper towel. Sprinkle celery salt evenly on all sides; this anchors flavor and draws moisture out, aiding a better sear. Fresh cracked pepper after salt is crucial for texture contrast.
- Heat a heavy pan (cast iron ideal) on high until a drop of water sizzles instantly. Add olive oil swirling it around to coat bottom. Immediately place tuna; should hiss sharply on contact. Sear 3-5 minutes depending on thickness for medium-rare; edges will go opaque, center dark pink and tender. Flip gently with a fish spatula or tongs, cook second side similarly. Look for firm but springy texture—not dry. Overcooking here loses moisture and flavor fast.
- Remove tuna, let rest 3-5 minutes; this helps redistribute juices for moist bite. Slice thin against grain to preserve texture and serve alongside pickled vegetables.
- Serve plate cold or room temp veg on side. Tuna great warm or slightly cooled. Garnish with microgreens or sliced radish for extra crunch, if available.
- Use fish spatula or thin sharp knife for clean slices. Avoid cutting too early—meat fibers tighten and juice escapes, dries out.
- If no sake, dry white wine or vermouth substitute works; skip mirin’s sweetness by increasing pineapple slightly.
- If no celery salt, mix fine sea salt and ground celery seed or omit celery seed for simpler profile.
- Avoid plastic cutting boards for raw tuna; use wood or sanitized surface to keep flavors pure.
- Pan must be very hot or seafood sticks, tears. Olive oil smoke point tolerated here due to short high heat sear.
- Pink peppercorns add subtle sweet spice but remove if allergic or unavailable; use coriander seeds crushed to preserve crunch.
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Tuna
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Serving Tips
Technique Tips
Prepare pickled vegetables first; tossing early lets acid gently soften fibrous celery and pineapple releases juices that mingle with vinegar and sake. Rest time is flexible; 15-20 minutes enough to develop bite, 25 max before veg starts too soft. Applying celery salt to tuna drives moisture out slightly, helping get that gold crust without steaming in pan—don’t skip. High heat pan critical; hear obvious sizzle on contact—too cool, fish will steam and stick. Sear 3-5 minutes side one, no poking or moving, crust must form clean. Flip with care; crust fragile. Cook second side less time; look for color gradient: opaque edges, ruby center. Rest tuna meat post-sear loosely tented; lets juices redistribute, firm up texture for clean slicing. Slice thin against grain for tender mouthfeel and balance with crunchy pickles. If pan smells burnt, oil overheated; wipe, lower heat, try again. No cast iron? Heavy stainless steel works but preheat longer. Use quick whisk or tongs for turning; no forks or knives that pierce. When serving, combine textures and temperatures deliberately; cold pickles contrast warm fish. Clean knife after every few slices for presentation.
Chef's Notes
- 💡 Use cold vegetables for pickling. Keeps crunch. Slice celery thin. Pineapple juicier when diced small. Crisp cucumbers matter. Pickle for 20 minutes only.
- 💡 Adjust rice vinegar to taste. If too tart, add more pineapple. Sake gives umami. Dry white wine works too. Be careful with substitutes. Balance acidity.
- 💡 Pat tuna dry well. Ensures good sear. Salt before cooking. Use heavy cast iron pan. Must be hot enough. Hear that sizzle on contact.
- 💡 Leftover tuna not great for long storage. Wrap tightly in foil or store in fridge. Best consumed quickly. Use within 1-2 days for freshness.
- 💡 Slice against grain for tenderness. Avoid cutting too soon. Rest for 3-5 minutes after searing. Helps retain juices. No plastic boards for raw fish.
