Citrus Cured Tuna Recipe

Prepare cure

In a shallow nonreactive dish, whisk together orange juice, lime juice, kosher salt, sugar and orange zest until sugar and salt dissolve.

Cure tuna

Pat the tuna dry with paper towels. Place the tuna in the dish and spoon some of the cure over the top so the fish is coated but not fully submerged. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 20–30 minutes for a light citrus cure (longer up to 1 hour for firmer texture). Turn the fish once halfway through. Do not over-cure — fish should remain mostly raw in the center.

Finish tuna

Remove the tuna from the cure, pat dry, and slice thinly against the grain into 1/8–1/4-inch slices. Reserve any remaining citrus liquid for drizzling if desired.

Combine rice vinegar, water, sugar and salt in a small saucepan and warm just until sugar dissolves (about 1–2 minutes). Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.

Place prepared carrot matchsticks and sliced radish in a jar or container. Pour the cooled pickling liquid over the vegetables ensuring they are submerged. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes, preferably 1 hour, before serving. Keeps up to 1 week.

Heat neutral oil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat to 350°F (175°C) or until a small piece of bread sizzles immediately. Pat drained capers very dry between paper towels to remove excess moisture.

Fry capers in batches for 30–60 seconds until they puff and become crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon to a paper towel-lined plate and immediately season lightly with a pinch of salt. Let cool — they will continue to crisp as they cool.

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) if baking, or heat 1/2 inch neutral oil in a skillet for frying. If baking: brush or spray wonton wrappers lightly with oil, cut into triangles, arrange single layer on a baking sheet, sprinkle with salt, and bake 5–8 minutes until golden and crisp. If frying: brush or lightly oil wrappers and fry a few at a time until puffed and golden, about 20–40 seconds per side. Drain on paper towels and season with salt.

Char shishito peppers in a dry skillet over high heat or directly over a gas flame until skins are blackened and blistered (about 6–8 minutes), turning so they char evenly. Transfer to a bowl, cover briefly to steam, then remove skins and stems if desired (not necessary for small pieces).

Blend charred shishitos with sour cream, mayonnaise, lime juice, garlic, and salt in a blender or with an immersion blender until smooth. Add up to 2 tsp water to reach a pipeable drizzle consistency. Taste and adjust salt or lime as needed. Chill until ready to serve.

Arrange several slices of citrus-cured tuna on each plate or a shared board. Spoon a small mound of pickled carrots and radish beside the tuna.

Place 2–3 wonton chips leaning into the tuna for height and crunch.

Scatter a few crispy capers over the tuna and around the plate for bursts of salty texture.

Drizzle shishito crema in a thin line or dots around the tuna and finish with a light drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and a crack of black pepper. Garnish with microgreens or cilantro.

Serve immediately so wonton chips remain crisp and capers retain crunch.