Tuna tataki on Niçoise

Discover a light, refined summer recipe. Tataki, a Japanese technique, enhances fish or meat by briefly searing it over high heat while preserving a tender, flavorful center. Here, this method highlights the tenderness and richness of the tuna.

The secret? Quick cooking: a very hot pan and a rapid sear on each side. For extra flavor, the tuna is brushed with wasabi, a Japanese condiment from the horseradish and mustard family, then coated in toasted sesame seeds before being seared for 1 to 2 minutes per side.

DETAILS

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: About 1 minute

Servings: Appetizer for 2 or meal for 1

Difficulty level: Easy

Add all ingredients for dressing in a bowl

Mix dressing and set aside

Spread tune with wasabi

Add sesame seeds

Cook tuna with sesame seeds in a pan

Tuna tataki on Niçoise

INGREDIENTS

For the tuna

170g (6oz) ahi tuna

1 tbsp ready-to-use wasabi paste

1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds

For the vinaigrette

Juice and zest of ½ lemon

4 fresh basil leaves

Salt and pepper to taste

For the Niçoise

2 hard-boiled eggs

4 endive leaves

3 to 4 Kalamata olives

A handful of young romaine lettuce leaves

3 to 4 blanched yellow beans, cut in half

PREPARATION STEPS

1 - For the vinaigrette, add all ingredients to a small bowl.

2 - Whisk well to emulsify, set aside.

3 - Brush one side of the tuna with wasabi paste.

4 - Coat the same side with toasted sesame seeds.

5 - Heat a pan with a drizzle of olive oil, place the tuna in the hot pan, and sear for 30 seconds on each side.

6 - Arrange the Niçoise ingredients on a serving plate and place the sliced tuna on top.

7 - Drizzle with the vinaigrette, serve, and enjoy.