Tuna tataki with ajoblanco

This week I decided to prepare tuna with a Japanese and Spanish touch. I found this recipe in a Spanish blog and I modified it a bit. It was easy to prepare and delicious.
Sometimes we have to break the routine and try different kind of food. Many people don't like raw fish but with this recipe you can try something different because this tuna it is not completely raw and it cooks with the sauce.



I like a lot the mixture of the tuna fish with soy sauce and wasabi. It reminds me of sushi, the Japanese cuisine and my old times when I lived in Japan. It is an amazing country, the culture and the life style. For an occidental person it can be other world. I really recommend you visit Japan.

The time you need to prepare this recipe is 40 minutes and 2 hours to marinate the fish. This is for 2 to 3 persons. You will need:

Tuna tataki:

• 2 pieces of tuna, approximately 300 gr
• 4 tbsp leek (white part)
• 3 tbsp soy sauce
• 6 tbsp rice vinegar 
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1 1/2 tbsp wasabi paste
• 1/2 tbsp chopped ginger (or crushed)
• mixed pepper
• salt and pepper 

Ajoblanco:

• 75 gr peeled almods 
• 20 gr bread crumbs
• 150 ml water
• 1/2 clove of garlic
• 1 tsp white wine vinegar
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• salt

Let's start preparing the tuna. Place kitchen paper towels on a board and then the tuna. Cover them with another piece of kitchen paper and keep on the fridge for about 15 min. This process help to take all the excess water so the tuna will cook better.

Chop the leak. 

Also chop the ginger very well.

Let's prepare all the ingredients for the tataki. In a bowl place the chopped leak, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sugar, wasabi paste, chopped ginger, salt and pepper to taste and mix it.

Now it is the time to take the tuna from the fridge. Fry it at hight heat on a pan with olive oil, 2 minutes each side.

Deep the tuna in the mixture we already prepared and cover with plastic foil. Keep it in the fridge for a couple of hours. It would be even better if the tuna stayed on the fridge even for more time, like a 8 hours. It is up to you.

It is time to prepare the ajoblanco. In a container add all the ingredients, peeled almonds, bread crumbs, water, garlic, white wine vinegar, olive oil and salt to test. You should blend it till its consistent gets as thick as a mayonnaise. You might need to add water if it gets too thick.

We have everything ready now. Take the tuna from the fridge and cut it in thin slices.

In a plate place the tuna in the center and ajoblanco on the sides. Spread the sauce on top of the tuna and add mix pepper on the top like in the picture and serve it.

This is really beautiful and delicious meal. I like a lot this kind of combination. It is good, healthy and refreshing in your diet.

You can eat this tuna tataki with white wine sauvignon blanc. They have citric aroma and it is not too acid so it matches very well with this plate.

Hope you like this recipe and enjoy it.

Thanks! See you in my next post :)