SEARED TUNA

Seared yellow fin tuna, cos, egg, capers, lemon and blue cheese from Boardwalk Bistro on Hastings.

INGREDIENTS

2 x 200g yellow fin tuna steaks (about 1.5cm thick)

1 x baby cos (washed and halved lengthways)

2 soft-boiled eggs

1/3 cup creamy blue cheese

1/3 cup good-quality mayonnaise

2 tbs baby capers

Segments of 1 lemon plus juice of 1 lemon

Sea salt and cracked pepper to taste

For crumbed egg:

1 cup panko breadcrumbs, egg wash (1 egg/50ml milk, mixed) ¼ cup plain flour

METHOD

For dressing: Combine blue cheese, mayonnaise and a good squeeze of lemon juice in a bowl and whisk until smooth, season with cracked pepper to taste. Reserve dressing until required. For egg: To soft-boil eggs, bring a small saucepan of water to the boil. Place eggs in water for 5½ minutes. After 5½ minutes remove eggs from saucepan and submerge in ice cold water to stop the cooking process. Once cold, peel the eggs.

To crumb: Roll the boiled/peeled egg in flour, followed by the egg wash, followed by the breadcrumbs, repeat with the second egg. Set deep fryer to 170°C. Deep-fry crumbed egg for 20–30 seconds or until a light golden brown. Place cooked egg on absorbent paper until required for plating.

Place baby capers in a sieve and in deep fryer fry the capers until they rise to the surface. Shake to remove excess oil and place on absorbent paper until required for plating.

Heat griddle pan, sear tuna on both sides until desired degree of cooking. For blue-rare about 20–30 seconds each side. For well done about two–three minutes each side.

Rest when the desired degree of cooking is reached. On the same hot griddle pan briefly sear the open face of the cos lettuce for about 20–30 seconds. Lightly season with sea salt.

To assemble: On centre of a flat dinner plate, place grilled cos leaf. Place tuna (sliced if desired) next to cos leaf, pour a generous amount of blue cheese dressing over cos. Sprinkle with fried capers. Scatter a few lemon segments on plate and nestle soft fried egg on cos leaf.

Recipe courtesy of: Gene Quinlan, head chef, Boardwalk Bistro. Phone 5448 0888