Ultimate Cook Book_ 900 New Recipes, Thousands of Ideas - Bruce Weinstein [223]
Flip the steaks, baste again with the glaze, and grill or cook until lightly browned and marked, mopping one more time, about 3 minutes (see Note).
Note: The timing here will produce medium-rare steaks: ones with a warm center, pink or milky depending on the fish. If you prefer a steak to be more done, leave it on the grill about 1 additional minute per side. For a less done steak—particularly good for tuna, but resulting in a cool red center—shave 1 minute off the cooking time after you flip the steaks. If you prefer rare fish steaks, make sure they are fresh; ask if they are “sushi-quality.”
Sweet-and-Sour Barbecue Glaze
Great with tuna on the grill, this glaze can match a range, from marlin to mahimahi, and can also be used for chicken, turkey, or pork on the grill. Makes ¾ cup
¼ cup soy sauce
¼ cup lemon juice
¼ cup honey
Whisk the ingredients in a small bowl until the honey is dissolved. (The sauce can be made ahead and stored, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.)
Blackened Fish Steaks
Culinary guru James Peterson has an excellent technique for this Cajun classic: he coats only one side of the steaks in the spice rub, allowing you better control so the spices won’t burn and become bitter. You’ll need two skillets: one to get smoking hot and the other to finish the steaks at a lower temperature. Use only dried herbs in this rub; fresh herbs will burn and turn bitter. Makes 4 servings
Four 6-to 8-ounce marlin, tuna, mahimahi, swordfish, halibut, opah, or salmon steaks, about 1 inch thick
5 tablespoons peanut oil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried marjoram
½ teaspoon sugar
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
¼ teaspoon celery seed
¼ teaspoon salt
Pat the fish steaks dry with paper towels, then rub 1 tablespoon canola oil into them.
Mix the oregano, thyme, marjoram, sugar, cayenne, celery seed, and salt in a small bowl. Rub each steak on one side only with a quarter of the spice mixture. Set aside spiced side up.
Heat a large skillet, preferably cast iron, over medium-high heat until smoking, about 5 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons oil, then the fish spiced side down. Cook for 90 seconds. Meanwhile, heat another skillet over medium-low heat.
Swirl the remaining 2 tablespoons oil into the second skillet. Transfer the steaks from the very hot skillet into the second one, flipping them spiced side up (but gently so as to preserve the crust). Cook until aromatic and somewhat firm to the touch, about 5 minutes for a medium-rare center, 6 minutes for a medium center, and 8 minutes for a well-done center.
Variations: Substitute dried parsley for the marjoram.
Substitute fennel seeds for the celery seeds.
Increase the cayenne to ½ teaspoon—but make sure the stove vent is running at full speed: the chili oils will volatilize and can burn your eyes.
Venetian-Style Tuna Steaks with Sweet, Vinegary Onions
Here’s a seared tuna steak topped with a sweet-and-sour Venetian mélange. Makes 4 servings
Four 6-to 8-ounce tuna steaks, about 1 inch thick
1 teaspoon kosher or coarse-grained sea salt
¼ cup olive oil
1 large yellow onion, chopped
½ cup red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons chopped oregano leaves or 1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Rub the tuna steaks with the salt and set aside.
Heat a large grill pan, a deep skillet, or a high-sided sauté pan over medium heat. Add the olive oil, then slip the tuna steaks into the pan. Cook until lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Flip and cook for 1 more minute for a rare center, 2 minutes for a medium-rare center, and 4 minutes for a well-done center. Transfer the steaks to a plate and tent with aluminum foil to keep warm.
Reduce the heat to low and add the onion to the pan. Cook, stirring often, until golden, caramelized,