Amaranth Crusted Ahi Tuna
This Ahi Tuna recipe has a magical combination of earthy, smokey, aromatic, sweet-spicy flavors that presents your guests with a memorable dinner. You won’t find this recipe at Pancho’s restaurant.
The recipe is published in “Mexico En Tu Mesa”, a valuable food and recipe website published by a Mexican governmental agency. The site informs you about Mexico’s geographical regions and their culinary traditions, it’s unique food products, recipes and techniques of the country’s diversified gastronomy. These traditional and emblematic recipes were selected by 35 of the top chefs of Mexico. Don’t miss the opportunity to visit the website so click now to visit “Mexico En Tu Mesa”. You won’t regret it.
Let’s get started.
Ingredients
Serves 4
Crust
10 tablespoons popped amaranth
1 tablespoon adobo chipotle finely diced
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
½ teaspoon dried coriander, crushed
½ teaspoon dried parsley, crushed
½ teaspoon dried thyme, crushed
¼ teaspoon dried oregano, crushed
½ teaspoon ground pepper
Salt to taste
Sauce
6 tablespoons chipotle chile in adobo, opened and seeded.
3 tablespoons agave syrup or honey
1 tablespoon water to thin out
Tuna
Sashimi Grade Ahi Tuna Steak (about 16-24 oz.)
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil with 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 lemons or lime quartered
1 large broccoli cooked for 5 minutes in boiling salted water
Preparation
Popped Amaranth
Popping amaranth is fun but messy. These little grains pop out of the pan so select a deep pan with straight sides. Heat the pan until a drop of water balls up, bounces and dances around the pan. Pop amaranth in small increments. Start with 1 teaspoon and quickly remove the popped amaranth from the heat once the popping ceases. It goes fast.
Amaranth before and after popping – it goes fast.
Ahi Tuna
Liquify the sauce ingredients in a blender. If necessary thin it out with water. Set aside for the table.
Generously coat each portion of tuna with the chipotle sauce. In a separate bowl, mix all crust ingredients and coat each portion of tuna. In a fry pan, heat the oil to high temperature and sear the tuna 45 seconds on each side to brown the crust while the interior remains pink.
Plating
As a side for the tuna, lightly salt cooked broccoli, drizzle with olive oil and lemon juice. Plate the tuna with lemon or lime quarters. Provide chipotle sauce for the table.
Notes
Don’t be concerned about generously coating the ahi tuna with chipotle sauce and making a dish that is too hot. The “hotness” of chipotle is diminished when the amaranth crust is seared. You can substitute sesame seeds for amaranth. Chipotle in adobo is found in most major supermarkets and Mexican grocers.
Buen provecho
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