Seared Tuna Steak

As a seafood lover, for a while now I have been yearning to try tuna. Not the tuna from a can - I've had that plenty of times before, but a real tuna steak. Tuna steak is pricier than the canned stuff, but so much more flavorful! Most people tend to think tuna is white and flaky, because that is what they mostly see from cans, but in reality tuna is pink and fleshy. Tuna steak must not be overcooked, or it will resemble canned tuna, but instead is usually just given a light sear on both sides for flavor and textural contrast, leaving the middle beautifully pink and cut-with-a-fork tender. As someone who is not a rare steak fan (or a big fan of steak at all for that matter), I sure did enjoy my rare tuna. Tuna can (and is meant to) be served raw, and is great for dishes such as ceviche and tuna tartare as well. Here is an outline of the basic procedure for making seared tuna.

1. The tuna must be very fresh, high-quality, and preferably sustainable.
2. Gently cut the tuna into slices about one inch or two centimeters thick. If you cut it any thinner, it will overcook for sure. Thicker is acceptable though.
3. Season both sides of the tuna with salt and ground black pepper. You can of course use other seasonings, but I like to keep it simple and let the tuna do the talking.
4. Heat some vegetable oil in a frying pan over high heat. You want the pan to be really hot.
5. Place the tuna steaks in the pan and cook for about 90 seconds per side - just enough time to give it a nice color but not long enough to cook the inside.
6. Remove the tuna steaks from the pan and place on a platter to rest for a few minutes. Brush with some olive oil for flavor and to prevent it from drying out.
7. Slice open the tuna with a fork, admire that beautiful pink color, and devour! 
   

The smaller piece pictured on the left side was a leftover piece that couldn't be made into another steak. Despite trying to cook it for less time, it did inevitably become overcooked. It was not overcooked a lot though, a bit more like canned tuna, but still had much more flavor. If you are leery of eating raw tuna, you can cook it throughly and still enjoy it's flavor that is much superior to canned. (I am not totally bashing canned tuna here, but once you taste fresh, you will recognize the difference in quality).