Pepper crusted tuna, wasabi cream, umami-prosecco sauce and fried seaweed

This is one of those dishes that you make for your partner or BFF on date night. It’s indulgent and full of big flavor - specifically umami. The touch of prosecco in the sauce to deglaze the pan adds another element of celebration and fun.

If you can get your hands on a fresh steak-cut piece of yellowfin tuna, you are lucky! I have crusted the sides of it with peppercorns, both black and pink, plus black sesame seeds for a kick-in-the-mouth punch of pepper. Don’t worry, it all balances out with the cream and prosecco sauce (which is like a thick glaze).

The prosecco sauce has a big umami impact from a Japanese soup stock ingredient called dashi. It is a concentrated soup stock so it is packed with flavor. If you can’t find dashi near you, a scoop of jelly-like bone broth will work, though you may have to reduce it longer to get the thickness that I got. The recipe lists black vinegar, which is a Chinese product. If you can’t find black vinegar, you can substitute with rice vinegar, though I suggest you seek out black vinegar!

The black strips on top are pieces of fried seaweed! They are crunchy little garnishes that tie the dish together.

Ingredients:

Serves two.

Wasabi cream:

1 tbsp kewpie mayo

2 tbsp creme fraiche

2 tsp wasabi paste (the kind used for sushi), loosely packed

2 tsp ponzu sauce

1/2 tsp onion powder

pinch of salt

Pepper crusted Tuna Steak:

1 tbsp black sesame seeds

1/2 tbsp black peppercorns, whole

1/2 tbsp pink peppercorns, whole

pinch of salt

1 tbsp olive oil, or neutral oil

1 tuna steak, find at your local fish shop

Umami-Prosecco sauce:

1/4 cup prosecco

1 tbsp white dashi (japanese concentrated soup stock)

1 tbsp cooking sake

1 tbsp ponzu sauce

1/2 tbsp black vinegar

Crispy seaweed:

4 seaweed sheets (the kind used for sushi)

2 tbsp corn starch

Neutral oil, for frying

Garnish:

handful of spring onions

Method:

To make the crispy seaweed: Take 4 sheets of seaweed, stack them on top of each other and cut them in half using scissors. Stack again and cut in half again. Do this once more. Now, cut into thin ribbons (you may have to divide your stack of sheets into thirds in order to get through with scissors). Add the seaweed ribbons to a large mixing bowl and add corn starch. Toss to coat, using your hands, then add 3 tbsp of water, sprinkling evenly around all the ribbons and toss to coat again with your hands.

Heat a pan over medium heat and add enough oil to completely cover the base of the pan. Wait until the oil is very, very hot and drop in small bunches of seaweed ribbons, about 4-5 pieces in each bundle. Careful not to overcrowd the pan, otherwise they could fry into one big pancake! Fry until the sizzling stops, about 30-45 seconds, then remove and place on a paper-towel lined plate to dry and absorb excess oil. They will crisp up as they cool.

To make the wasabi cream, combine all ingredients in a small mixing bowl. Whisk to create a super smooth cream. Leave in the fridge to keep cool as you prepare the rest.

To sear the tuna steaks: In a pan over medium heat, add 1 tbsp olive oil and wait until the pan is very hot. The oil should begin to lightly smoke. Sear the tuna steak on both sides for 45 seconds on each side. Remove the tuna and place on a plate.

To make the umami-prosecco sauce: Keep the heat on to deglaze the pan with prosecco by pouring prosecco straight into the pan. Using a spatula, help the prosecco pick up any sticky bits that may have come off the crust of the fish. Add the remaining ingredients and let the mixture come to a simmer. It will reduce and become a glaze within 5-10 minutes. Once it has reduced to a glaze, pour into a small dish and set aside.

To assemble: place wasabi cream on the base of the plate, keeping it central and pillow-y. Slice tuna into thin strips against the grain. Cut off the edges of the tuna to make them all the same length. Fan out the tuna slices and place on top of the wasabi cream. Pour the umami-prosecco sauce over the tuna, sprinkle spring onions and add crispy seaweed ribbons.

Enjoy straight away!