Tuna Tartare Two Ways

I love tuna tartare. If I see it on a restaurant menu I pretty much have to order it, even if it's in an Italian restaurant (true story). Tuna tartare is pretty much just raw tuna cut up really small and blended with a dressing and maybe some other finely chopped ingredients. It's usually served with some kind of fried chip to dip with. Just like many other delicious treats I order in a restaurant, I often never think to try to recreate these dishes at home. If my cooking classes have taught me anything, it's that I can make well-known but intimidating things like quiches, souffles and pretty much anything I want at home. It's not rocket surgery!

So, when I found myself with two 6 oz ahi tuna steaks I thought I'd try something new. For the first tartare I basically made Japanese spicy tuna like you would find in a maki roll or on brown rice as a spicy tuna bowl. For the second, I threw together a sauce using a few ideas from some different recipes and working with what I had in the house. You can pretty much do whatever you want if you mix some kind of fat, an acid, and maybe some sweetness and a little extra flavoring, herb, or spice. Asian flavors work really well for this. Ready?

Spicy Tuna Roll Tartare

• 6 oz raw ahi tuna, cut into 1/8 inch cubes


• 2 Tablespoons mayonnaise (I use my homemade mayo, it's fabulous)


• 2 teaspoons Siracha hot sauce


• Scallions for garnish

1. Mix the mayo and hot sauce together well.


2. Mix the sauce with the tuna. Sprinkle with scallions and enjoy!

Tuna Tartare 2

• 6 oz raw ahi tuna, cut into 1/8 inch cubes


• 2 teaspoons lime juice


• 1.5 teaspoons sesame oil


• 1 teaspoon soy sauce


• .5 teaspoon mirin


• Little bit of grated fresh ginger to taste


• Toasted sesame seeds for garnish

1. Mix together everything but the tuna.


2. Combine the sauce with the tuna. Garnish with sesame seeds and enjoy!