Yellowfin Tuna, Avocado Pineapple Mash

Seared Fresh Yellowfin Tuna
Mirin, Sesame Oil, Tamari, Key Lime Juice
Avocado Pineapple Mash with Serrano
Steamed Jasmine Rice

Avocado, crushed pineapple, finely chopped serrano chiles, a squeeze of key lime juice and a pinch of Kosher salt are mashed together with a fork. Avocado and pineapple make an interesting flavor combination, perfect complement to the fish.

Whisk together equal parts mirin, sesame oil, and tamari, plus half as much key lime juice. Divide in half, one part for serving the other part for seasoning the tuna.

The sashimi grade tuna is coated with the sauce just prior to cooking. It is not left to marinate for more than a few minutes per side, as with fish this fresh, I did not want to mask the delicate complex flavors of the fish.

I used that great SCANPAN ceramic titanium non-stick fry pan from Denmark here! Heat the dry pan until very hot and add the tuna. Sear over high heat about 60 seconds per side. Serve the yellowfin tuna over the sauce with a scoop of avocado pineapple mash, steamed jasmine rice on the side. We thoroughly enjoyed this meal with a White Bordeaux, although a lighter style Burgundy/Pinot Noir would have been a good choice as well. For a terrific recipe using a similar sauce with king salmon, please visit here.
FRESH FISH ALERT !!!

Imagine my excitement when I walked into my neighborhood butcher shop to see Darko filleting his Yellowfin Tuna! Intentions to get anything other than yellowfin tuna went out the window! I was so glad to have my camera on hand too.

South Shores Meat Shop
Western Avenue at 25th Street
San Pedro, California


Tuna Facts: There are two species of tuna known as ahi, yellowfin and bigeye. Tunas are the fastest fish in the world; in fact, bursts of speed exceeding 20-30 mph are not unusual. They have streamlined bodies specifically adapted for efficient swimming, large white muscle masses useful for swimming long distances, and red muscle masses for short bursts of speed when chasing prey or escaping predators. For more interesting information on yellowfin tuna, nutrition, and sustainability status you can visit FishWatch.

25 thoughts on “Yellowfin Tuna, Avocado Pineapple Mash”

  1. LL,
    Those fins are beautiful!
    How nice to get such a fresh catch.
    Tuna season is a long way away in NJ. And I can’t even think of eating a beloved avocado in the winter. That is my summer addiction! Wishful thinking!

  2. okay you are so in the know with your local butcher ~ can’t get any fresher than that unless you’re out on the boat yourself! i have a weakness for yellowfin tuna + u made the perfect marinade for it….sounds similar to *ponzu* + lov the combine with the avocado!

  3. We eat fresh yellow fin often…I have never tried pineapple and avo before, but will definitely next time…great flavors here, Lori!

  4. That’s one beautiful tuna! Oh how I miss fresh fish markets. 🙂 The avocado and pineapple sound great together Lori Lynn! A very complimentary duo!

  5. another beauty of a meal! Love the fishmongers photo – OK the butchers. Hey, I know who Darko is! I know where the butcher shop is. that’s so fun.

  6. Hi Lori Lynn! i knew if i came here i would get inspired! I think i need to take a trip down to the fish market in Santa Barbara this weekend…
    love, lori

  7. What a great butcher shop you have there LL, fresh tuna is amazing! I absolutely want to try that pineapple avacado mash! Another brilliant concoction from you!!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.