The Best Tuna Melt
- 250g cooked tuna
- 1/2 celery stick (chopped)
- 1 Tbsp parsley (chopped)
- 1 tsp minced garlic
- 5 Tbsp mayonnaise
- 3/4 cup mozarella (grated)
- 3 Tbsp olive oil (retain 1 Tbsp for cooking)
- Salt and pepper
- Bread
- Softened butter
- Shred the tuna.
- Add the celery, parsley, garlic, mayonnaise, mozzarella, olive oil (2Tbsp), salt and pepper.
- Butter the bread with softened butter.
- Heat a pan on a medium high heat.
- Add the remaining 1 Tbsp of olive oil.
- When the pan is hot, add one of the bread slices, and brown buttered side down.
- When the bread is starting to brown, scoop a few tablespoons of the tuna mixture onto the bread and cook a bit longer.
- Add the other piece of bread and flip the sandwich over, browning the other side.
- Remove from the pan when the bread is a lovely golden colour and the tuna melt is starting to ooze out the sides.
- Repeat this step to make more sandwiches.
- This recipe makes about 3-4 sandwiches depending on the size of your bread slices and how generous you are with your filling.
Loaded Lettuce Cups
These awesome lettuce cups are quick and easy to make. You can opt for a healthier option by leaving off the Sushi Mayo and Sweet Indonesian Sauce, creating a carb clever snack!
- 1 Tbsp sesame seeds
- 200g sashimi grade Yellowfin Tuna
- 1 Avocado
- 1 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp sesame oil (or olive oil)
- 3 Tbsp fresh coriander (chopped)
- 4 lettuce cups
- Salt
- Sushi mayonnaise
- Sweet Indonesian Sauce or Honey Soy
- Lemon wedges
- Toast the sesame seeds in the oven at 180 degrees for 6 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside for later.
- Cut the tuna into small cubes and set aside in a bowl.
- Cut the avocado into small cubes and add to the tuna bowl.
- In a jug mix the soy sauce, sesame oil and coriander.
- Pour this mixture over the tuna and avocado and toss.
- On a platter or board, lay out the lettuce cups and fill with your tuna mixture.
- Sprinkle the sesame seeds over the cups.
- Season with salt.
- Add a healthy dose of sushi mayo and sweet Indonesian sauce.
- End off with a squeeze of lemon.
- For a carb clever option, leave out the mayonnaise and sweet Indonesian sauce. Equally as delicious with way less calories!
The Ultimate Tuna Marinade
Here’s a delicious marinade which incorporates sweet, salty and a dash of citrus! The perfect combination for any tuna lover. This marinade is versatile and will suit tuna for the braai or stove. Bon appetite!
- 3-4 Yellowfin Tuna Steaks
- 1/4 cup orange juice
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 2 Tbsp sesame oil (or olive oil)
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice
- 2 Tbsp fresh parsley (chopped)
- 1/2 tsp Oregano fresh (alternatively you can use dried)
- 1 tsp minced garlic
- 1 Tbsp honey
- Salt & Pepper
- Place tuna steaks in a big ziplock bag.
- Mix all of the ingredients together in a jug and pour into the bag with the tuna steaks.
- Make sure the bag is sealed properly and pop in the fridge. (I placed my bag in a braai dish just to make sure that if there was some leakage it wouldn't make a mess).
- Leave the steaks for 2-3 hours, or overnight, turning the bag over occasionally.
- Remove from the bag and braai or pan fry as you please! Use the excess marinade to baste as you go! Enjoy.
Yellowfin Tuna Steaks on the Braai
Spring has sprung, the flowers are out and the braais are ready to be lit! What better way to celebrate the new season then with a fresh yellowfin tuna steak on the braai.
This recipe is so simple. All you need to do is whip up a quick marinade, throw in your Greenfish yellowfin tuna steaks (which are already perfectly prepped and ready to go), marinade for an hour or two and, with a quick toss on the braai, dinner is served!
- 1 pack of Greenfish Yellowfin Tuna Steaks (2 steaks)
- Salt & Pepper
- Japanese 7 spice (or 5 spice)
- 1/3 Cup Teriyaki Sauce
- 1/3 Cup Soy Sauce
- 3 Tbsp Olive Oil (or sesame oil)
- 2 Tbsp Lemon Juice (or half a squeezed lemon)
- Sprinkle the tuna steaks with a small dash of the seven spice and a pinch of salt and pepper. (Do not use too much of the seven spice as it has some heat to it!)
- In a glass dish create the marinade by combining the teriyaki, soy sauce, olive oil and lemon juice.
- Place the seasoned tuna steaks into the marinade, cover the bowl with cling film and pop into the fridge. Marinade for at least half an hour before turning the steaks over and marinading the other side. Leave the steaks to marinade for an hour or two.
- Remove the steaks from the marinade and braai over medium hot coals with the grid on the middle setting for about 1-2 minutes a side. Make sure you discard the marinade and do not pour over the steaks. Excess marinade will burn and become bitter.
- Serve immediately.
- Remember tuna steaks can be rare to well done, depending on how you like your fish served. Cooking time for this recipe is based on a medium steak. You can alter your cooking time accordingly to suit your preferences.
Yellowfin Tuna Poke Bowl
I’m back with a new recipe! I must apologize for the wait but I just recently changed my title from “wife” to “mother”. Introducing our little girl, Lily, who seems to be enjoying partaking in creating our newest recipe with mom for The Fish Wife blog.
There seems to be a new trend on the block… the Poke Bowl. Poke (pronounced poh-keh), is an appetizer in Hawaiian cuisine which consists of a raw fish salad. It can also be served as a main meal over steamed rice. The word “Poke” in Hawaiian terms means “to slice or cut” which explains this dish perfectly as it consists of slicing raw fish into beautiful neat cubes. 
In this recipe we shall be making “Ahi Poke” which is a variation of the Poke Bowl using raw marinated tuna. This being the most popular of the dishes served in Hawaii… and possibly the most delicious!
In my recipe I have used the addition of toasted sesame seeds and pine nuts which brings a lovely nutty flavour to the dish.
This dish is incredibly simple and oh so healthy! All the ingredients used in the Poke are raw and in their finest form using only the combination of ingredients to enhance the flavour of the tuna.
And finally, my personal touch is the addition of micro herbs and edible flowers which create a sophisticated and magical element to the dish.
- 400g (plus minus) Greenfish Sushi Grade Yellowfin Tuna
- 2 tsp Sesame Seeds
- 2 Tbsp Pine Nuts
- Half a small Red Onion (julienned)
- 4 Baby Spring Onions (finely chopped)
- 4 Garlic Cloves (minced)
- 1 Thumb Ginger (grated)
- 2 Tbsp Soy Sauce
- 1 tsp Sesame Oil
- 1 Avocado
- Half a Medium Heat Chili (optional)
- Micro Herbs (optional)
- Garnish with Edible Flowers (optional)
- Dry the Yellowfin Tuna off with paper towel and set aside on a chopping board.
- In a dry pan on medium heat, add the Sesame Seeds and Pine Nuts and toast until nice and golden. Remove from the pan and set aside in a bowl to cool down.
- Cut the Tuna across the grain into small bite size cubes. Cutting across the grain will allow the tuna to fall apart and melt in your mouth. Avoid using the pieces by the tail as they can contain sinew.
- Combine the toasted Sesame Seeds, Pine Nuts, Red Onion, Spring Onions, Ginger, Garlic, Soy Sauce, Sesame Oil and Chilli in a large bowl.
- Add the Tuna cubes and mix through evenly until well coated with the marinade.
- Cut the Avocado into cubes and gently toss through the marinade.
- Refrigerate for at least 15 minutes before serving to allow the Tuna to absorb the flavours.
- Serve in a bowl topped with Micro Herbs and Edible Flowers for a pop of colour.
- Alternatively for a main meal you can serve over a bowl of steamed rice.
Seared Sesame Seed Yellowfin Tuna Steaks
Technically this recipe should have been my very first post on The Fish Wife. It makes sense that it would be seeing as Tuna, especially Yellowfin Tuna, is pretty much the speciality of our family business, Greenfish.
In my opinion there really isn’t anyone who lives, breathes and dreams about Tuna more than my hubby! The passion and knowledge from all of his years of experience dealing with this species of marine life means he knows exactly how to source the best of the best, and I am so privileged to be able to sample Cape Towns finest Tuna at home.
So why is it then that this recipe was not my first entry you ask? To be completely honest, it’s because I almost feel like it’s cheating to give you such a ridiculously simple method to cook tuna and label it a recipe at all! But seeing as I get asked constantly for Tuna recipes, here it is. To all my fine dining guests who thought I had slaved away for hours in the kitchen, the truth has surfaced! Enjoy.
- Yellowfin Tuna Steaks (mine were purchased from Greenfish)
- Course Salt
- Sesame Oil
- Sesame Seeds
- If you purchased your Tuna Steaks from Greenfish, they should be cut to size and ready for the pan. If not, then cut your Tuna into approximately 250g Steaks, around 2 - 2.5cm in thickness.
- Grind some course salt on either side of your steaks. The course salt really enhances the flavour.
- Place your sesame seeds in a bowl. Place your Tuna Steaks into the sesame seeds coating each side until the sesame seeds completely cover the meat.
- Heat a pan on a high heat with a good splash of sesame oil.
- Place your sesame coated steaks into the pan cooking for approximately 1 minute a side - be careful not to over cook! The Tuna only needs a quick 1 minute on each side to achieve a 2mm golden delicious border and a lovely pink centre.
- If you are wanting to cut your tuna into strips, make sure you do so across the grain as it's easier to eat.
Teriyaki Marinated Tuna Belly
To me the Tuna Belly is the “foie gras” of tuna. It is like eating Wagyu beef compared to eating a plain old shop bought steak. Tuna belly or “toro” is generally considered the king of all sushi ingredients in Japan.
Only a small portion is available per tuna and in the Japanese market it is extremely expensive. South African’s however don’t realise the value of this beautiful piece of marbled fatty fish, and often discard it as waste! This is a simple tragedy in my book, as once you have tried it you will understand exactly why the Japanese pay a small fortune for this small cut of tuna.
The belly is very oily and high in omega 3 and it literally melts in one’s mouth. Due to the marbled fatty content, it is important to cook the belly just through, allowing the fat to break down.
- 1 pack of Greenfish Tuna Belly Steaks
- Salt & Pepper
- Japanese 7 spice (or 5 spice)
- 1/3 Cup Teriyaki Sauce
- 3 Tbsp Sesame Oil (can substitute with olive oil)
- 2 Tbsp Lemon Juice
- Sprinkle the 7 spice, salt & pepper to both sides of the steaks. (You do not need to use a lot of the 7 spice as it has some heat to it!).
- In a glass dish marinate the Tuna Belly in the Teriyaki Sauce, Sesame Oil and Lemon Juice for at least 45 minutes. (You can leave overnight in the fridge).
- Heat the pan on high heat and quickly pan fry the steaks. Thin steaks will take approximately 1 minute per side and thicker steaks approximately 2 minutes per side.
- You can substitute the Sesame Oil with Olive Oil - however the Sesame Oil gives a lovely nutty flavour.
- Other nice additions to this recipe include: ginger, garlic and finely diced chilli.
You can create some delicious dipping sauces for the Tuna Belly by mixing 1:1 ratios of the following:* Sweet Chilli Sauce and Sushi Mayonnaise
* Hoisin Sauce and Sushi Mayonnaise
or simply plain Sushi Mayonnaise on its own.
