Marinated tuna on samphire: An umami flavour explosion

Do you have a dinner party to plan this weekend? Every great meal starts with a light and flavourful meal that gets you ready for what’s to come. Fish is often a good choice because you have something meaty that’s still light. This marinated tuna on samphire recipe is a great way to get that umami punch you love in your food. The recipe needs a quick preparation and then you can almost forget about it for a couple of days as the tuna marinades.

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Marinated tuna on samphire suggestions

You’ll seer the tuna on a hot pan and serve with samphire or asparagus, made as you like it. The sweetness of the plum wine, the piquant flavours of the pickled ginger and the richness of the tuna loin, combine to create a tuna dish that can be simply eaten raw or flash grilled for added flavours. The recommended liquid accompaniment would be a simple Chenin Blanc or a light Pinot Noir. The serving style is simple, informal with a slight emphasis on stacking for height and visual appeal.

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Whether you want to start a meal with a light side or enjoy authentic Japanese cuisine, try our marinated tuna on samphire recipe.

Last updated on 21 April 2023

Marinated tuna on samphire recipe

5 from 3 votes

Recipe by Grant Hawthorne Course: DinnerCuisine: JapaneseDifficulty: Easy

Servings

2

servings

Prep time

15

minutes

Cooking time

10

minutes

Total time

25

minutes

This dish depends on a delicate balance of flavours. It is essential that the fish used is of the best.

Ingredients

• 500 g 500 tuna

• For the marinade

• 40 g 40 Dijon mustard

• 40 g 40 garlic, crushed

• 20 g 20 cracked white pepper

• 150 g 150 pickled ginger (roughly chopped)

• 40 g 40 chives, chopped

• 500 ml 500 soy sauce

• 200 ml 200 olive oil

• 300 ml 300 lemon juice

• 200 ml 200 Mirin (Sweet Japanese Sake)

• 200 ml 200 plum wine

• 500 g 500 asparagus

Method

• Mix the marinade with a whisk, till the emulsion forms. Pour liberally over the tuna, ensuring the pieces are well coated. Refrigerate for a minimum of 3 hours (prior to use) and a maximum of 72 hours.
• Drain the tuna from the marinade. Heat a pan till smoking hot (high heat). Lightly grease the pan with a little olive oil and flash fry. This does create a lot of smoke and flame… but it’s necessary for the flavours to be encouraged.
• Remove from pan, rest for 1 minute and carve into escalopes.
• Serve immediately astride a salad, or if you require something more substantial, a stir-fry of vegetables, with Udon noodles or (when in season) some sauté Sea Asparagus (Samphire), which have been tossed with toasted flaked almonds.
• It works extremely well when accompanied by a Thai lemongrass and galangal froth.
• Garnish with fresh lime wedges.

Notes

• The tuna should be deep in color, preferably Sashimi-grade, and not targeting the endangered list. The Western Australia Rudder Fish would be a good recommendation, for taste, visual impact, texture, and flavor.

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