Yellow Fin Tuna Recipe

Roast vegetables

Preheat the oven to 450°F (230°C). Prick the eggplant a few times with a knife, place whole on a rimmed baking sheet. Halve the red peppers and remove seeds, place cut-side down on the sheet. Add the whole onion (unpeeled) and the tomatoes (halved) and the garlic cloves in their skins. Drizzle vegetables lightly with 1 tbs olive oil and roast for 30–40 minutes, turning peppers once, until skins are blistered and eggplant is collapsed and onions are soft.

Remove the peppers to a bowl and cover with plastic wrap or a lid for 10 minutes to steam (this loosens skins). Transfer eggplant and garlic to a bowl and cover similarly. When cool enough to handle, peel skins from peppers and eggplant, squeeze out excess liquid from eggplant, peel garlic cloves. Discard stems and seeds from peppers if desired. Chop the peeled eggplant, peppers, onion (remove skin), tomatoes and roasted garlic into chunky pieces and place in a mixing bowl.

Dress the chopped vegetables with 2 tbs olive oil, 1 tbs sherry or red wine vinegar, 1 tsp kosher salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper and 2 tbs chopped parsley. Toss gently and taste; adjust seasoning. Set aside at room temperature to let flavors marry while you prepare the tuna and salsa verde (can be made up to 3 hours ahead and kept covered).

In a food processor or with a mortar and pestle, combine 1 cup packed parsley leaves (stems removed), 2 tsp capers, 2 anchovy fillets (if using), 1 garlic clove, 1 tbs lemon juice and 1 tsp red wine vinegar. Pulse to break down the herbs and aromatics.

While pulsing or mashing, stream in 3 tbs extra-virgin olive oil until the sauce emulsifies but remains slightly textured. Season with 1/2 tsp kosher salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Taste and adjust acidity or salt as needed. Transfer to a small bowl and refrigerate briefly if not using immediately.

Pat the yellowfin tuna loin dry with paper towels. Season all over with 1 tsp kosher salt and 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper, then rub with 2 tbs olive oil and 1 tbs lemon juice.

Heat a heavy skillet or cast-iron pan over high heat until very hot. Add a light slick of oil if the pan is dry. Sear the tuna 1–1.5 minutes per side for rare (depending on thickness), turning to create a deep brown crust but leaving the center pink. For medium-rare cook about 2 minutes per side. Avoid overcooking; yellowfin is best served rare to medium-rare.

Remove tuna from the pan and let rest for 3–4 minutes. Slice the tuna across the grain into 1/3-inch thick slices.

On a serving platter or individual plates, spoon a bed of escalivada. Fan slices of tuna over the vegetables.

Drizzle 1–2 tbs of the salsa verde over the tuna and vegetables (reserve a little to pass at the table). Scatter microgreens or baby arugula around if using, drizzle a little extra virgin olive oil, and sprinkle flaky sea salt to finish. Serve with lemon wedges.

Serve immediately while tuna is warm; escalivada can be served at room temperature. Leftover escalivada keeps well refrigerated up to 3 days; salsa verde up to 5 days.