The Tuna:

July 2011

Grilled Tuna

Not every fish is fit for grilling, but a thick, meaty hunk of tuna is the perfect candidate for a quick cook over the coals. Tuna is firm and doesn’t fall apart on the grids. It can also withstand a grill’s high heat. When cooked right the flesh is as lush and succulent as a beef rib or strip steak. Good summer eating.

Tuna is easy to grill, too, but there’s a caveat. It’s very lean. If you cook it too long it becomes dry and chewy. This is a fish that tastes best when it’s rare, or at most, medium-rare. To cook tuna successfully, you need to follow just a few, but precious tips.

First, start with fish that’s at least 1-1/4 inches thick, and preferably 1-1/2 inches thick. If you have a thinner piece, put it in the freezer for 15 minutes or so, to keep the middle as cold as possible. The grill should be intensely hot too, which makes preheating a must, and you need adequate coals if you don’t use a gas grill. It’s also a good idea to place the grate as close to the heat as is possible, so the surface of the fish can sear before the inside dries out. Depending on thickness, tuna should take about 3 minutes per side for rare, 4 minutes per side for medium.

There’s not much else you need to do. Elaborate seasonings are unnecessary; in fact, a film of vegetable oil plus a sprinkle of salt and freshly ground black pepper will do. Or a simple marinade, one without too much vinegar or lemon juice, (acids that could “cook” the fish even before you put it on the grill)

Tuna is so versatile that you can season it with almost any herb or condiment, from thyme or basil to soy sauce or Harissa. But even if you grill it plain, you can serve it in a multitude of ways to dress it up or down -- with a roasted Russet, for example, to give the plate a steak-and-potato look or with a perky fruit-and-chili pepper salsa that complements the fleshy flavor and texture of the fish.

Grilled Tuna with Papaya Salsa is one colorful example of how well fresh fruit works as an accompaniment to grilled tuna. Substitute the fruit in this recipe as you wish – use mango, peach, fresh apricots, apples, and so on. It’s a beautiful looking side dish, one you could use for family dinners or for company. Add corn on the cob or buttered noodles and dinner is complete.

Plain grilled tuna also goes nicely over a bed of salad. Spoon potato salad, brown rice, farro or orzo salad on a plate, slice the fish and layer it on top to give the dish a festive and modern look. Garnish with cut-up summer tomatoes, grilled zucchini or sautéed sugar snap peas.

There is also Nicoise salad to consider. This enduring French classic is usually prepared using canned tuna, but it’s much tastier with fresh, grilled fish. The recipe for Fresh Tuna Nicoise Salad offers a few other changes from the traditional version: asparagus to replace the typical green string beans, olives instead of anchovies, and some feta cheese for good measure.