Ingredients
1 1/2 tsp coarse kosher salt
1/2 tsp paprika (regular, not Hungarian)
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
Coarse ground black pepper to cover
1 tbsp peanut oil
1 Large Ahi Tuna Steak
If I find one large steak, I will cut it in half and cook the two halves as individual portions.
Mix the salt, paprika, and cayenne in a bowl, then sprinkle liberally over top and bottom of steaks. After applying the spice mix, pat gently, careful not to crush it. Apply coarse black pepper from a mill to your taste, also patting into the meat.
Prepare a pan on medium high heat. I use a cast iron pan and let it get very hot before putting the oil in. Once the pan is very hot, put the peanut oil in and coat the bottom, then add the steaks immediately. I said to use only 1 tbsp -- you'll want enough that it won't stick, but not so much that everything is oily when you take it out. I set the oven timer for 2 minutes and turn on the fan on the range. You really don't want to cook these for more than about a minute and a half, or two minutes per side. This will yield the beautiful rare red inside. Good tuna steaks will have a sweet taste, and the peppery spicy crust gives it some bite.
To make this into sandwiches, I have thought about cooking the steaks, then cutting them in half through the pink middle, and only using half the steak for a single sandwich. I haven't done this, yet, but that's my plan for next time. I'll report back with how that works out. This would also be much more economical, since a large steak might cost around $27 or more, and could feed four instead of two people.
Mix with Kateo's Tangy Kitchen Slaw, for a light, tangy, vinegary mix that compliments well. I liked this with a very simple store bought Italian bread with sesame seeds. I might try some other bread options, but I sort of prefer to dress it down a little bit so it's less formal.
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