Five Spice Crusted Tuna with Roasted Carrots & Rutabaga Puree

Redolent with a five-spice crust, seared tuna is served with tender roasted root vegetables. The well-flavored meal is artfully plated.

At a glance

Main Ingredient

Seafood

Cuisine Type

American

Menu Part

Entrée

Serves

Yield: 4

Ingredients

4 baby yellow carrots, peeled
4 baby orange carrots, peeled
4 baby red carrots, peeled
8 pearl onions, peeled
1 small rutabaga, cut into small wedges
8 baby leeks, cleaned
1 cinnamon stick
3 whole cloves
6 whole allspice berries
4 whole star anise
1 tsp. pink peppercorns
2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup roasted garlic
1 cup vegetable stock

Tuna:
2 (8-oz.) bigeye tuna pieces (5 in. long and 11/2 in. square)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground star anise
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1/4 tsp. ground allspice
1/4 tsp. pink peppercorns, crushed
1 tbsp. grapeseed oil

Garnish:
4 tsp. chopped fresh chives
Freshly ground black pepper

Methods/Steps

1. For roasted carrots and rutabaga puree: Preheat oven to 300°F. Toss together all carrots, onions, rutabaga, leeks, whole spices, and olive oil in a roasting pan. Season with salt and pepper; cover. Cook 3 hr., or until tender.

2. Puree half of the rutabaga with garlic and stock in a blender until smooth; season to taste with salt and pepper. Reheat the puree before serving. Remove whole spices from vegetables.

3. For tuna: Season tuna with salt and pepper. Combine all the spices in a small bowl and sprinkle lightly on all sides of the tuna. Heat grapeseed oil in a sauté pan over high heat. Sear tuna for 1 min. on each side, or until golden brown on the outside and rare inside. Remove from pan and slice into 4 thick pieces.

4. Spoon rutabaga puree in a zigzag on plates. Cascade vegetables down one side; place 2 pieces of tuna on other side. Sprinkle with chives and top with pepper.