Tuna Tartar Recipe

Trim and dice tuna

Pat the sushi-grade tuna dry with paper towels. Trim away any sinew. Cut into uniform small dice (about 1/4 inch). Place the diced tuna in a chilled bowl and season lightly with 1 teaspoon sea salt and 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper; gently toss to combine.

Keep the tuna chilled while you prepare the dressing and other components so it remains firm and safe to serve.

Make the dressing

In a small bowl whisk together 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 1 tablespoon light soy sauce, 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil, 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice, 1 teaspoon rice wine vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard, 1/2 teaspoon honey, 1/2 teaspoon finely grated fresh ginger, and 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic until emulsified. Taste and adjust balance: add up to 1/2 teaspoon Sriracha if you want heat. The dressing should be bright, slightly savory and balanced between acid and oil.

Stir in 1 tablespoon chopped chives and 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro (if using).

Mix tuna with dressing

Pour about two-thirds of the dressing over the diced tuna and gently fold with a rubber spatula until evenly coated. Avoid over-mixing; you want the tuna to hold its shape. Reserve the remaining dressing to dress avocado/cucumber and to drizzle at service if desired.

Fold in the very finely minced shallot (1 tablespoon) and the drained cucumber dice (1/4 cup) into the dressed tuna.

Gently fold in the diced avocado (1/2 cup) right before plating to avoid browning. If you prefer, toss avocado separately with a teaspoon of reserved dressing and then fold into the tuna mixture.

Portion and shape

Using a 2.5–3 inch round ring mold (or a spoon for a looser stack), place the mold on chilled plates and fill with the tuna mixture, pressing lightly to compact. Remove the ring carefully to keep a clean shape. Alternatively, pile 2–3 tablespoons per crostini for bite-sized hors d'oeuvres. This recipe yields about 8 hors d'oeuvre portions (or 12 smaller crostini pieces).

Finish

Drizzle about 1 teaspoon finishing olive oil over each portion and sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds (about 1/8 tsp per portion) and a small pinch of flaky sea salt (use sparingly). Zest 1/2 teaspoon lime or lemon over the top for brightness. Add a few microgreens or a small frond of baby arugula for color and texture.

Arrange crostini or wonton crisps alongside the tartar. Serve immediately while tuna is chilled and crostini are crisp.

All ingredients that contact raw fish should be very fresh and handled with clean utensils and chilled surfaces. Consume immediately or within 1 hour for best texture. Leftovers can be kept refrigerated up to 24 hours but texture will degrade—do not freeze. Scale recipe as needed.