Tuna Tar-tare with Avocado

The Tuna fishing in the Mid- Atlantic region has been fantastic for most of the summer. It started with a great bite off the coast of North Carolina early on, and has continued as the fish moved north into the Norfolk, Washington, and Baltimore Canyons. Big Eye have been the biggest surprise of the summer, as they stuck around for quite a while and offered anglers a shot at a real trophy fish, with many topping the scales at over 200  pounds! Other anglers such as my friend Damon who fished out of Oregon Inlet Fishing Center this week, reported a limit of 18 yellowfin tuna ranging from 30-60 pounds in the box before noon. 

When you have that much meat on the fillet table, you have to find creative things to do with it in the kitchen. Yellowfin is a wonderfully mild tuna, and is an excellent choice for this recipe. A word of warning though! If you did not catch the fish yourself and know for sure that it was handled properly to be eaten raw, be very careful. The words "Sushi Grade" or "Sashimi Grade" are not regulated by the FDA. Know your fish monger well, and trust in him/her before you eat any raw seafood. I did not catch the tuna used for this recipe, but I trust my fish monger, and knew this fish had been caught and well iced the same day I bought it. And when he said, "This fish was swimming this morning", I trusted him and bought a couple pounds right away. Japanese or International markets are a great place to buy sushi grade tuna. 

This recipe is very simple and a great way to impress your guests. Put this out as an appetizer, and watch it disappear quickly!

Ingredients:

1/2 - 3/4 pounds of fresh tuna

1 small avocado

1 tsp olive oil 

2 tsp soy sauce

1/2 teaspon fresh ginger, grated

dash or two of oyster sauce

1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds

1 tbsp chives, minced

1 lemon

salt to taste

Slice the tuna into 1/2 inch chunks. Combine with soy sauce, ginger, oyster sauce, olive oil, sesame seeds, and chives. Mix well, cover and refrigerate for 1 hour or until ready to serve. 

Just before serving, cut Avocado into 1/2 inch chunks and season with lemon juice and salt. 

Oil a mold and place in the center of a plate. Add a thin layer of tuna and press well, then avocado, then tuna and gently press from the top. turn the mold occasionally while filling to make sure mixture is not sticking. remove the mold and top with fresh parsley, and diced green onions....drizzle a bit of soy sauce, hoisin, and oyster sauce around the plate for presentation and some extra "juice"...enjoy with pita chips and an ice cold beverage!