coffee ahi

Seared ahi tuna is already one of the easiest and most impressive things to make for a special occasion or on the fly any ordinary weeknight.

A little salt and pepper, a little oil, and a hot skillet or grill pan are all you need. I’ve decided to make it a tiny bit more complex, by adding a marinade of coffee, sugar, and salt.

See, not too much more difficult, just a little something extra.

Coffee Marinated and Seared Ahi Tuna

1 tablespoon instant espresso coffee
1  1/2 teaspoons sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 ahi tuna steaks
Olive oil
Sauteed spinach, optional
Avocado and cherry tomatoes, optional

In a small bowl, mix together the espresso, sugar, and salt.

Pat dry the tuna and press the coffee mixture into the tuna, covering all sides and using all of the mixture.  Place steaks in a zip-lock bag and refrigerate for 4 to 6 hours.

After the tuna is finished marinating, remove it from the bag and place it on paper towels.

Use more paper towels to blot off the top and sides of the steaks, not removing all of the marinate, just blot them dry.

Meanwhile, heat a skillet or grill pan over high heat. When the pan is smoking, brush lightly with olive oil.

Sear the steaks for 3 to 4 minutes on each side, including the edges for about 1 minute. Tuna will be seared on the outside and still rare on the inside.

Remove from skillet and place on a cutting board. Cut against the grain into thin slices and serve on a bed of sauteed spinach, garnished with fresh diced avocado and cherry tomato halves, if desired.

Serves 4