Tuna Tartare Recipe, California-Fusion Style

Don't let Michelin Star Tuna Tartare be an enigma. Make some this weekend!

Tuna tartare versus sushi and poke... What's the difference?

While Tuna Tartare contains raw fish like sushi, this uncooked protein is where the similarities end.  The origins of this dish provide context. While the beginnings of tuna tartare are vague, it’s believed to have been inspired by the French dish steak tartare sometime in the 1980s. Today, the dish continues to be popular and is common in many upscale restaurants.

Like Hawaii’s Poke dish, tuna tartare is made with raw, finely chopped, or diced tuna, mixed with various seasonings and served as an appetizer. The way traditional Tuna Tartare is seasoned is in-line with steak tartare: mustard, capers, onion, eggs, and lemon or lime juice. Many times, ingredients steer this dish to have a more Asian flavor profile, with the enhancement of other ingredients such as avocado, cucumber or mango. This dish

Tuna Tartare is a versatile dish.

While traditional Tuna Tartare integrates the savory French flavor profiles from steak tartare, ingredients can be customized to suit individual tastes. For example, it can be made spicier with the addition of siracha. Or, ingredients can be replaced to give it a more Asian-fusion taste — such as substituting capers and mustard with sesame seeds and soy sauce.

Tuna Tartare and its Presentation

How Tuna tartare is presented on a plate varies, depending on the chef’s preference:

Mound: One of the most common ways to present tuna tartare is by forming it into a neat mound in the center of a serving plate.

Ring: Another way to present tuna tartare is by forming into a cylinder shape using ring or some other device used as a mold. This is often served on a plate with a small salad or other accompaniments.

Cone: Tuna tartare is also presented in a cone shape, by using a small waffle cone or by forming a cone out of a crispy wonton wrapper. This is often served as a handheld appetizer.

Tacos: Tuna tartare can be used as a filling for small tacos or tostadas, often topped with a fresh salsa, guacamole, or cilantro.

Tartare trio: Some restaurants may offer a "tartare trio" where three different types of tartare are presented on the same plate with different garnishes or seasonings.

On sushi rice: If a chef wants to incorporate a strong Asian influence (something like Hawaiian Poke), tuna tartare can be presented on top of a bed of sushi rice with additional ingredients such as avocado or tobiko (flying fish roe).

A Note about high quality ingredients

Tuna Tartare is at its best when ordered at a fine dining restaurant. Why? Exceptional dishes served at Michelin star restaurants use the absolute best ingredients sourced from around the country. Unfortunately, the average home cook doesn’t have ready access to these ingredients, thus creating a challenge in duplicating the quality experienced at top restaurants. The good news is that home chefs have the ability overcome some of this by growing their own ingredients and seeking out specialty sources at farmers markets and directly from local farms.

Tuna tartare is a dish where the use of high-quality ingredients is important. Using the finest of ingredients significantly impacts the overall quality. By sourcing the best ingredients, you are starting with a better base product, including more flavor, texture, and nutrients.

Considerations When Sourcing Tuna for Your Tuna Tartare

When preparing tuna tartare, it is important to procure the freshest and highest quality tuna possible. Doing this will ensure the best flavor and texture and provide the highest health safety level. The best species of tuna to use in raw dishes are Bluefin and Bigeye. Here’s what to look for when sourcing tuna for tartare:

Freshness: Look for tuna that is as fresh as possible. Try to source fish that’s as close to the day it was caught. Fresh tuna should have a firm texture, and the flesh should be shiny, not dull. It should also have a fresh, ocean-like smell.

Color: The color of the tuna should be bright and vibrant. Only choose tuna with a deep red or pink hue. Avoid tuna that is brown, grey, or discolored.

Fat content: Look for tuna that has a good amount of fat content; this will give the tartare a buttery texture and rich flavor. The fat should be white and marbled throughout the fish.

Sashimi-grade: Make sure to choose sashimi-grade tuna, which means it has been carefully handled and processed to ensure it is safe to eat raw. Sashimi-grade tuna will also have a better flavor and texture than other grades.

Sustainable: Consider choosing tuna that has been sustainably caught and sourced, to help protect the long-term health of the ocean's ecosystem and prevent needless loss of other marine life. It’s known dolphins and tuna often swim together, so maintaining market demand for sustainable fishing methods helps avoid unnecessary deaths of dolphins.

A Michelin Star Tuna Tartare recipe without the price tag

My long-time friend, a chef with Michelin Star restaurant experience, flew in for a visit a few weeks ago. His culinary talent, honed in the kitchens of world-renowned fine-dining establishments, is at the mastery level. One evening during his stay, he whipped up this fantastic Tuna Tartare recipe.

This is a Tuna Tartare recipe with California-fusion influences. The recipe includes jalapeño, cucumber, mango, avocado, and cilantro. It may be served over rice, poke style, with thin crackers, or with some other chip. We delightfully devoured my friend's creation with some blue corn chips we purchased at the grocery store.

Recipe Tips

• Make sure the tuna remains chilled on ice up to the time it is prepared and served.
• Purchase the tuna on the same day it is to be served.
• If there are leftovers, store them in the refrigerator, and the remainders must be consumed within 36 hours — anything stored longer should be discarded. Discoloration of the fish will start to be seen the following day from the citric acid in the lime juice. This is the lime juice cooking, or “denaturing”, the fish — a similar process to how ceviche is prepared. Don’t be alarmed at the change in color, as this is normal.