Tuna Tartare with Avocado

I remember being grossed out by anything with the word "tartare" in it when I was younger. I refused believe that raw meat or fish could be good on its own. I loved sushi, but the rice and seaweed covered the raw fish, making it slightly less obvious, and for a long time I stuck to veggie rolls. When I was visiting my mom and dad quite a few years ago, my mom made this as a little happy hour snack and I ended up loving it. I remember not wanting any dinner afterwards since my snack turned into a meal.

I love the addition of avocado in this recipe. It not only adds flavor, but it seems to almost bind the flavors to the tuna. If you like tuna and can find fresh seafood, I definitely recommend this recipe. It's my favorite tuna tartare, even when I compare it to ones I have had at restaurants. Make sure you eat this all the day you make it since it will not stay fresh overnight. Also, serve this with any cracker you enjoy that isn't too flimsy.

Recipe from Ina Garten's Barefoot Contessa Family Style
Serves 6 to 8

3/4 pound very fresh tuna steaks
3 tablespoons olive oil
zest of 1 lime, grated
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/2 teaspoon wasabi powder
1 1/2 teaspoons soy sauce
6 dashes Tabasco sauce
1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup finely sliced scallions (white and green parts from about 2 scallions)
2 teaspoons minced jalapeño pepper, seeds removed
1 ripe avocado (preferably the Hass variety)
1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds (optional)
crackers, for serving

Cut the tuna into 1/4" (.6 cm) cubes. Place into a medium bowl. In a small bowl, mix together the olive oil, zest, juice, wasabi powder, soy sauce, Tabasco, salt, and pepper. Pour mixture over tuna, add the scallions and jalapeños, and mix well. Cut the avocado into 1/4" (.6 cm) cubes. Carefully mix the avocado into the tuna mixture. If using sesame seeds, add them, as well as some salt and pepper to season. Chill tuna in the fridge for at least 1 hour to marinate (do not leave it overnight though). Serve on crackers of choice.

Pin It Now!