Seared Ahi Tuna with Dill Caper Sauce

Fishy fishy in the sea! Dill Caper sauce on perfectly seared Ahi Tuna, God I can’t get over how much I love this recipe. The creamy, dill-infused sauce, with a touch of dijon mustard, is so tantalizing. Every bite is heavenly. Can you pickle tuna? Well I believe I have! The tuna is seared on each side with salt and pepper, in a bit of olive oil, and while it is doing its thing, the sauce happens. So this is a very quick and easy recipe to get on the table and still wow your guests! Just wow yourself because you deserve it.

Tuna is one of the best sources of vitamin D, which we all have been lacking during the shorter winter days. I don’t even know where to begin explaining the 13 Benefits of Tuna: improves heart health, lowers blood pressure, good for weight loss, boosts your immunity, reduce inflammation (yay Omega-3s!), fights cancer (prostate and breast specifically), improves blood circulation, promotes a healthy thyroid gland, etc. etc.!!! So what are you waiting for? Plus it is the easiest thing in the world to cook. I can’t stress enough about buying from your local butcher shop, and definitely do not buy farmed fish, EVER. Ew. Farmed fish is toxic, and with that slime all nutrients are knocked out of the game. Farmed tuna gets the worst rap period, and can carry up to 36 times the toxic chemicals of other fish. YUCK! Get the good stuff and then do this (!):

That is how you want it to look when you take it off the heat. Seared for only 3-4 minutes per side, depending on how thick of a piece you have. You want it pink in the middle, then transfer to a plate and cover for 5 minutes. I do this with all fish, because it will continue to cook, and by covering it you retain the juicy goodness that you will miss out on dearies…Oooh let’s get to the sauce!

I like to overload this with so much fresh dill, capers, and chives! This sauce really does turn eating a tuna steak into a total mouth experience and it is making me hungry!

Seared Ahi Tuna with Dill Caper Sauce

By: Michelle Servais

March 4, 2021
30 min
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Ingredients

2 ahi tuna steaks, at least 1 inch thick
1 T olive oil
Salt and pepper
Dill Caper Sauce
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup heavy cream
2 T butter
2 T olive oil
1 small shallot
2 tsp fresh lemon juice
1-2 T arrowroot powder, to thicken sauce (substitute flour)
2 T capers
1/3 cup fresh dill, chopped minus stems
1 T chives

Directions

Step 1: Pat tuna steaks dry, then salt and pepper both sides with an emphasis on the pepper
Step 2: Heat 2 T olive oil in a skillet over medium high heat, add tuna steaks and sear on each side for 2-4 minutes (depending on how pink you want them). Remove from pan and cover on a plate for 5 minutes.
Step 3: Dill Caper Sauce
Step 4: Meanwhile, in a sauce pan, heat butter and olive oil on medium heat.
Step 5: Add shallot and garlic, then cook for 1 minute.
Step 6: Add wine, lemon juice, capers, dill, chives, and dijon mustard. Cook for 1-2 minutes and then add arrowroot powder (or flour), just enough to thicken the sauce.
Step 7: Pour over tuna steaks to serve and garnish with dill sprig, if you want to be fancy like me.

Song for the Prep: Sea of Love by Cat Power

I just sang this to my new dog, Sugar. The lyrics have nothing to do with Tuna other than I love it. I actually love this whole Covers Album by Cat Power.

“Do you remember when we met
That’s the day I knew you were my pet
I want to tell you how much I love you”

Sea of Love was written in 1959 by John Philip Baptiste and George Khoury, and the original version is worthy of some link action. And while I’m at it, you may remember the version done by Robert Plant…. this video is wonderfully ridiculous. This is the singer from Zeppelin you guys! Does anybody remember his Honeydripper days? Why is he singing into a shower head? Ah well it goes with the sea theme, I’ll take it. Eat some tuna and listen to songs about the Sea….of Love.