This is such an easy appetizer that I often bring to parties and everyone loves it.
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 3 tablespoons lime juice freshly squeezed
- 1 teaspoon black pepper freshly ground
- 3/4 pound tuna very fresh
- grated zest of one lime
- 1 teaspoon wasabi powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons soy sauce
- 6 dashes tabasco sauce
- 1/4 cup scallions minced (white and green part) - approx 2 scallions
- 2 teaspoons fresh jalapeno pepper seeds removed, minced
- 1 each ripe hass avocado
- 1 teaspoon sesame seeds toasted
- Carbohydrate 1.38783527766954 g
- Cholesterol 17.009713875 mg
- Fat 3.02361134590821 g
- Fiber 0.340441665475413 g
- Protein 14.7743858649615 g
- Saturated Fat 0.490112351557481 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (74g)
- Sodium 505.852679069249 mg
- Sugar 1.04739361219413 g
- Trans Fat 0.134118766622221 g
- Calories 94 calories
Step-by-step
- Cut the tuna into 1/4 inch dice and place it in amedium bowl.
- In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, lime zest, lime juice, wasabi, soy sauce, tabasco, salt and pepper.
- Pour over the tuna, add the scallions and jalapeno, and mix well.
- Cut the avocado in half, remove the seed, and peepl.
- Cut the avocadeo into 1/4 inch dice.
- Carefully mix the avocado into the tuna mixture.
- Add the toasted sesame seeds if using and season to taste.
- Allow the mixture to sit in the frefrigerator for at least an hour for the flavors to blend.
- Serve on crackers or toasted baguettes.
Unlike a heavy cooked casserole that tastes better after starches gelatinize overnight, raw fish preparations demand a precise understanding of protein denaturation to survive sitting in a refrigerator for sixty minutes. When acidic lime juice contacts raw yellowfin, citric acid alters the tertiary structure of the myosin and actin proteins, coagulating them in a manner chemically similar to thermal heat without requiring a burner or a thermometer to gauge doneness.
- Mince the tuna with a razor-sharp chef knife rather than a dull blade to prevent crushing the muscle fibers, which releases excess moisture and creates a mealy texture.
- Toast white sesame seeds in a dry skillet over medium heat for precisely three minutes until fragrant to develop essential pyrazines that balance the sharp wasabi and fiery jalapeño.
- Hold the dressed mixture between 34 degrees Fahrenheit and 38 degrees Fahrenheit in the refrigerator for at least one hour so the salt can fully diffuse through the cellular walls via osmosis.
- Dice the Hass avocado at the very last moment before mixing to limit polyphenol oxidase exposure, preventing the rapid enzymatic browning that occurs when bruised fruit meets ambient oxygen.
Consuming this dish within twenty-four hours ensures the delicate polyunsaturated fats in the fish do not oxidize and develop rancid off-flavors. Proper chilling also allows the volatile aromatics from the minced scallions to mellow into the olive oil phase.
