How to Sauté Firm, Rich Fish
Rich fish — those that are high in fat, such as salmon, tuna, and bluefish — are exceptionally good when sautéed. And you can enhance it with a myriad of sauces that you can make in 15 minutes or less. Since this fish has a relatively high fat content, it also tolerates hot sauces. The recipe for tuna steaks with ginger and chili is a good example of this.
Keep in mind that hot sauce with thinner fish, such as sole or snapper, can be a failure. In general, hard fish (or fatty fish) tolerate seasoning better.
Tuna slices with ginger and chili
Preparation time: about 15 minutes
Cooking time: about 15 minutes
Yield: 4 servings
4 tuna steaks, each about 6 to 7 ounces and 3/4 inch thick
A pinch of salt and pepper for each steak
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup white wine or white grape juice
1 tablespoon red pepper paste
1/2 teaspoon dried ground ginger
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon dark sesame oil
1. Season both sides of the tuna slices with salt and pepper.
Melt the butter over medium-high heat in a nonstick skillet or skillet large enough to hold the steaks in a single layer.
2. Add the tuna to the skillet and cook until lightly browned on both sides, about 3 minutes per side.
3. Transfer the steaks to a warm plate and cover with tin foil.
Leave the cooking butter in the pan and scrape the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to loosen the browned bits sticking to the pan.
4. Add grape juice or wine, raise heat, and cook until about half of the liquid in the pan has evaporated (less than a minute).
5. Reduce the heat to medium.
Add chili paste, ginger, brown sugar and sesame oil. Stir constantly until ingredients are well mixed.
6. Add the tuna steaks (and any of their juices on the plate) back to the skillet, and bring the liquid to a simmer.
Cook for about 1 minute or until completely heated through, turning once to coat the fillets with glaze. Don’t overcook.
7. Using a flat metal spoon, remove each tuna steak to a separate plate. Pour a little sauce over each steak and serve immediately.
Per serving: 274 calories (from 96 fats); fat 11 g (saturated 4 g); cholesterol 89 mg; 305 mg sodium, carbohydrate 4 g (dietary fiber 0 g); Protein 38 g.
If you don’t have a frying pan large enough to cook all the tuna steaks at once, use a smaller skillet and cook the tuna in batches. If you do, be sure to provide enough sauce for all of the steaks.
Look for red chili paste with Asian food ingredients at your grocery store.