Jo Pratt’s seared tuna steaks with pineapple salsa and sticky rice recipe
Fancy a good dose of sunshine in your life, or at least on your plate? This recipe for seared tuna steaks bursts with vibrant colours and satisfying textures. Everything comes together in a pinch, making it perfect for days when you’d rather be outside than in the kitchen. (And, if the weather is on your side, you can sear the tuna and pineapple on your barbecue.)
Created by food writer and cookbook author Jo Pratt, the dish balances smoky, seared tuna with sweet, tangy pineapple salsa and bright, crunchy Sweety Drop peppers. Served with a side of sticky sushi rice, it'll quickly become a family favourite.
Things to note:
The rice salad and salsa are just as delicious with other fish, particularly salmon, mackerel or a meaty fillet of halibut, and will also work with grilled gammon steak or pork chops.
For a vegetarian alternative, Jo recommends swapping the fish for grilled halloumi, as its saltiness pairs perfectly with the tangy salsa.
For US ingredients and measurements, use the drop-down menu and select 'Cups'.
Ingredients
For the sushi rice:- 300 g sushi rice
- 5 tbsp rice vinegar
- 2 tbsp caster sugar
- 1 tsp flaked sea salt
- 1 tbsp finely chopped coriander
- 1 small ripe pineapple
- 0.5 x 235g jar Sweety Drop peppers, drained (we like Cooks&Co Sweety Drop Peppers)
- 4 spring onions, finely chopped
- 1 lime, juiced
- 1 small handful of coriander, roughly chopped
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 4 tuna steaks, about 2cm thick
- 1 dash of sunflower oil or vegetable oil
- 1 pinch flaked sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Details
- Cuisine: Asian-inspired
- Recipe Type: Lunch
- Difficulty: Easy
- Preparation Time: 20 mins
- Cooking Time: 20 mins
- Serves: 4
Step-by-step
For the sushi rice:
- Wash the rice in cold running water until the water runs clear.
- Drain well and put the rice in a saucepan with 400ml (1.75 cups) cold water. Bring to a boil, cover with a tight-fitting lid, and cook on low heat for 10 minutes without removing the lid at all.
- Remove the pan from the heat and leave the lid on for a further 5 minutes.
- In the meantime, gently heat the rice vinegar, sugar and salt in a small pan stirring until the sugar has just dissolved.
- Tip the rice into a wide flat dish or roasting tray and pour over the rice vinegar mixture. Sprinkle over the coriander (cilantro) and carefully fold it into the rice with a wooden spoon, allowing it to cool as you mix. If not using immediately, cover with a cloth and keep in a cool place.
For the salsa:
- Remove the top and base from the pineapple, then cut away the outside brown skin. Cut the flesh into 8 wedges and remove the tough inner core.
- Heat a large frying pan over medium heat and sear the wedges all over for about 5 minutes until they are lightly golden. Remove from the pan and cut into small pieces.
- Tip into a bowl and add the Sweety Drop peppers, spring onions (scallions), lime juice, coriander (cilantro), olive oil and a pinch of salt. Mix well and set aside.
For the tuna steaks:
- Return the frying pan to the hob over high heat. Rub a little sunflower or vegetable oil all over the tuna steaks and season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Sit the tuna in the super-hot pan, and sear for 1-2 minutes on each side. You want the steaks to be slightly pink inside, so be careful not to overcook them.
- Transfer the tuna to plates and serve with slightly warm salsa and sushi rice.
Recipe courtesy of Cooks&Co, which sells a range of premium ingredients, in collaboration with Jo Pratt.
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