Yellowfin Tuna Recipe

Prepare marinade

In a shallow dish combine 2 tbs olive oil, 1 tbs soy sauce, 1 tbs lemon juice, 1 tsp minced garlic, 1 tsp black pepper and 1/2 tsp sea salt. Whisk briefly to emulsify.

Marinate tuna

Pat the yellowfin tuna steaks dry with paper towels. Place them in the shallow dish and turn to coat both sides. Cover and refrigerate for 15–20 minutes (no longer than 30 minutes to avoid curing the tuna).

Sear the tuna

Heat a large heavy skillet or cast-iron pan over high heat until very hot (about 2–3 minutes). Add a thin film of oil if pan is not well seasoned. Remove tuna from marinade, letting excess drip off. Sear tuna 1.5–2 minutes per side for rare (center bright pink), 3 minutes per side for medium. Avoid moving the steaks while searing to get a good crust. Transfer to a cutting board and rest 3–5 minutes before slicing.

Blanch

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the trimmed green beans and cook until just tender-crisp, about 3–4 minutes. Prepare an ice bath while beans cook.

Shock and sauté

Drain the beans and immediately plunge them into the ice bath to stop cooking and preserve color. When cool, drain thoroughly. Heat 1 tbs olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the 2 sliced garlic cloves and cook 30–45 seconds until fragrant (do not brown). Add the drained green beans, 1 tsp lemon zest, 1/2 tsp sea salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Toss and cook 1–2 minutes until heated through and garlic scented. Remove from heat.

Prepare tomatoes

Cut the tomatoes into wedges or thick slices. Place in a bowl with the 1/4 sliced red onion and torn basil leaves.

Dress salad

Drizzle 1 tbs olive oil and 1 tsp red wine vinegar over the tomatoes. Season with 1/4 tsp sea salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Gently toss to combine. Let sit at room temperature for 5–10 minutes to allow flavors to meld.

Slice the rested tuna against the grain into 1/4–1/2" slices. Arrange a portion of sautéed green beans and a generous spoonful of the fresh tomato salad on each plate.

Fan the tuna slices over or beside the green beans. Drizzle any resting juices from the cutting board lightly over the tuna. Garnish with microgreens or chopped parsley if using and serve with lemon wedges for squeezing over the fish.

Serve immediately while tuna is warm and salad is fresh.