Pacific Bluefin Tuna Crudo with Seasonal Stonefruit
Ingredients (Serves 1-2)
1/4 - 1/2 pound portion Pacific Bluefin, boneless, skin-off
1 small shallot
juice of 1-2 lemons
1 ripe stonefruit like nectarine, peach, or large plum
handful of cilantro and cilantro flowers (or other edible flowers of choice, as available)
fresh chives
high-quality cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and pepper to taste
Upgrade to a higher quality olive oil to make excellent crudo (Cento is middling, you can do better - we lived and learned).
Pacific Bluefin Tuna is the fattiest of tunas, giving it extraordinarily rich flavor and velvety soft, melt-in-your-mouth texture. Raw preparations allow those culinary characteristics to shine, and this Summer Stonefruit Crudo is a great example. Because Pacific Bluefin Tuna is a fish that is especially abundant off the San Diego coast in the summertime in San Diego, it makes sense to feature another seasonal summer delight - a ripe peach, nectarine, or plum - alongside the fish. "Crudo" is Italian for "raw," and this simple preparation for local seafood, combined with high quality olive oil and freshly squeezed citrus, is a timeless classic in Italian fishing villages.
Crudo is a wonderful method to highlight the intrinsic beauty of raw fish - from bright reds to translucent pinks and whites, together with fresh herbs and the vibrant flesh of fresh fruits.
When preparing to slice your raw fish for crudo, pop it in the freezer for some time before handling. The amount of time will vary depending on the size of your piece of fish, but it’s important to note that you want to remove it before it actually freezes. The extra-cold temperatures firm up the crudo and help you make attractive slices, if that’s important to you! A sharp knife is is also very helpful)!
Image by Emily Miller.
How to Prepare
Destem cilantro and mince chives.
Finely slice shallot and a ripe peach, nectarine, or plum
Mix lemon juice, salt, and high-quality olive oil together and taste. Adjust proportions until you personally find it delicious. Your choice of olive oil will impact the overall dish!
Slice local bluefin as thinly as you can manage while maintaining its shape (pre-chilling and a sharp knife will help).
Pool some lemon juice and olive oil mixture onto your serving dish, and arrange stonefruit and tuna on top.
Garnish with your herbs and edible flowers, and drizzle over all with olive oil and a squeeze of lemon.
