Albacore Tuna Medallions with Zucchini Butter
Andrea Bemis, who owns and operates Tumbleweed Farm with her husband Taylor, joined the Tre-Fin crew for a day on the water toward the end of the 2018 season. This recipe came out of that experience and kicked off Andrea’s Local Thirty challenge. Read more about both on her blog, Dishing Up the Dirt.
INGREDIENTS
Tuna Medallions
- 4 Day Boat Tuna medallions (5 or 6, about 1 inch thick)--(175 miles)
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper--(157 miles)
- Unsalted butter--(81 miles)
- Flaky sea salt for serving--(157 miles)
Zucchini Butter
- 2 pounds zucchini or assorted summer squash-- (0 miles)
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter--(81 miles)
- 2 garlic cloves, minced--(0 miles)
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme--(0 miles)
- salt to taste--(157 miles)
DIRECTIONS
To make the zucchini butter:
Using a box grater or the grating attachment on a food processor, coarsely grate the zucchini. Empty the content of the bowl onto a clean dish towel and wring out as much liquid as possible.
Add the butter to a deep medium-sized skillet over medium-high heat. As it begins to melt, add the garlic, thyme, and grated zucchini. Cook, stirring often, until the zucchini reaches a spreadable consistency, about 15-18 minutes. The mixture will still have plenty of texture but will be more "jam like" after cooking. If you scorch the bottom of the mixture turn the flame down but don't stress! Just stir those crispy burnt bits into the butter for added flavor! If need be add a touch of water or white wine to deglaze the pan. The zucchini will hold its bright green color and slowly caramelize into a nice vegetable jam.
To prepare the tuna:
Pat the tuna medallions dry with a paper towel and season with salt and pepper.
Heat the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the tuna until a dark, golden brown crust forms, about 3 minutes. Flip the tuna and cook for about 2 minutes or just until the edges are crisp but the center is still pink. Dollop Zucchini Butter on warm tuna and serve immediately.
Hazelnut-Crusted Albacore Medallions with Chimichurri
TAGS: Lunch, Dinner, CSF share, Frozen
From Andrea Bemis, owner, Tumbleweed Farm, author of Dishing Up the Dirt
INGREDIENTS
Hazelnut-Crusted Albacore Medallions
- 1 Day Boat tuna loin (partially frozen) (about 1 pound)
- Olive oil
- 3/4 cup hazelnuts
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1/8 teaspoon dried garlic
- Kosher salt to taste
- Ghee or another fat with a high smoke point for searing over high heat
Chimichurri Sauce
- 1 cup parsley leaves, lightly packed
- 2 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
- 1/2 cup cilantro leaves, lightly packed
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/3 cup red wine vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
DIRECTIONS
To make the Chimichurri sauce:
Place all of the ingredients in the bowl of a food processor or a large blender. Pulse to combine and chop the ingredients, then blend until smooth..
To prepare the tuna:
Slice the tuna loin into 1-inch thick pieces. Rub each medallion with a little olive oil and set aside.
Place the hazelnuts, herbs, and a hefty pinch of salt into the bowl of a food processor or blender and process into a coarse meal. Be careful not to over process into hazelnut butter!
Place the ground nuts on a plate and coat both sides of the tuna medallions with the mixture.
Heat the ghee in a large frying pan over medium- high heat. When the ghee is hot, sear the tuna for about 2-3 minutes per side or until desired doneness. Serve immediately with Chimichurri Sauce.