Seared Tuna Tiradito

Photographer Tara Donne, Prop Stylist Raina Kattelson, Food Stylist Chris Lanier

At Cabra in Chicago, 2011 BNC alum Stephanie Izard channels her love of Peruvian cuisine to deliver inspired takes on traditional ceviche and tiradito. At the restaurant, Izard dresses raw sushi-grade tuna steak with a creamy Kewpie mayonnaise-laced sauce, thinned with lime and orange juices, and studded with spicy serrano chiles. For a twist, try giving the tuna a quick sear in a screaming hot skillet to add another layer of complexity to the dish.

Ingredients

• 2 cups packed fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems, roughly chopped
• 1/2 cup fresh lime juice
• 1/3 cup Kewpie mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup roughly chopped seeded fresh serrano chile
• 1/4 cup roughly chopped seeded fresh poblano chile
• 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1/3 cup plus 4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 (6-ounce) sushi-grade tuna steak, chilled
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped peeled jicama
• 2 tablespoons passion fruit pulp
• 2 tablespoons diced peeled mango
• Flaky sea salt, to taste

Method

Step 1

Combine cilantro, lime juice, mayonnaise, serrano, poblano, orange juice, kosher salt, and 1/3 cup oil in a food processor. Process until mostly smooth with flecks of cilantro still visible, about 20 seconds. Transfer to a medium bowl; cover and chill until cold, at least 30 minutes or up to 3 days.

Step 2

Step 3

Spoon 2 tablespoons of cilantro-chile sauce onto each of the 4 serving plates. Reserve remaining sauce for another use. Top each serving with 6 tuna slices, 1 1/2 teaspoons jicama, 1 1/2 teaspoons passion fruit pulp, and 1 1/2 teaspoons mango. Drizzle each plate with 1/2 teaspoon oil, and sprinkle with flaky sea salt to taste. Serve immediately.

Source: Food and Wine