Bife de Atum à Açoriana
Bife de Atum à Açoriana·(beef-eh deh ah-toon ah ah-so-ree-ah-nah)
O Fiel Amigo: Accessible Bacalhau & Coastal Flavors
Mash garlic and rock salt into the flesh, then press a pair of supermarket tuna steaks into a heavy skillet, searing them hard like prime steak. Twenty minutes is the exact window required to pull this together, swapping hard-to-find Azorean pepper paste for accessible Calabrian chili and sweet paprika so the vinegar bites through that unmistakable ocean flavor without a special trip to an importer. Trust the brutally high heat and never, under any circumstances, overcook the fish.
Before you start
Mind the clock on the marinade.
Do not let the tuna sit in the highly acidic marinade for more than 3 hours. The vinegar will begin to chemically cook the flesh, resulting in a mushy texture before it even hits the pan.
Ingredients
- yellowfin tuna steaks1 1/2 lb
- garlic4 cloves
- dry white wine1/2 cup
- white wine vinegar2 tbsp
- Calabrian chili paste1 tbsp
- sweet paprika1 tsp
- dried bay leaf1 large
- extra virgin olive oil3 tbsp
- all-purpose flour1 tsp
- baby Yukon Gold potatoes1 1/2 lb
- garlic2 cloves
- coarse sea salt1 tbsp
- black pepper1 tsp
Method
- 01
Marinate the tuna.
Pat the tuna steaks dry and season both sides generously with coarse sea salt and black pepper. In a shallow dish, whisk together the smashed garlic, white wine, vinegar, chili paste, paprika, and crushed bay leaf. Submerge the tuna, cover, and refrigerate for at least 45 minutes but no longer than 3 hours.
- 02
Boil and smash the potatoes.
While the tuna marinates, boil the baby potatoes in heavily salted water until fork-tender, about 15 to 20 minutes. Drain and place them on a board, then use the flat bottom of a glass to gently press each potato until the skin cracks. Toss with a glug of olive oil, the minced garlic, and coarse salt.
- 03
Dry the steaks completely.
Remove the tuna from the marinade, reserving the liquid in the dish. Pat the steaks bone-dry with paper towels; if they hit the hot pan wet, they will steam instead of sear, ruining the crust.
- 04
Sear the tuna aggressively.
Place a heavy cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat until it is smoking hot. Add the 3 tablespoons of olive oil, lay the tuna steaks in the pan, and do not touch them. Let them sear for exactly 90 seconds, flip with tongs, and sear for 90 seconds on the other side. Immediately remove the steaks to a resting plate.
- 05
Build the pan sauce.
Reduce the heat to low, sprinkle the flour into the residual oil, and stir constantly for 30 seconds. Carefully pour the reserved marinade into the pan, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes until the sauce thickens into a glossy gravy.
- 06
Serve immediately.
Plate the warm, medium-rare tuna alongside the crushed potatoes, and generously spoon the hot, spicy pan sauce directly over the fish.
Notes
The 90-second rule is absolute.
Tuna lacks the extensive intramuscular fat of terrestrial mammals. If cooked past medium-rare, the moisture evaporates rapidly, leaving behind a dry and unpalatable texture. Trust the high heat.
The pepper paste substitution.
Authentic Azorean massa de malagueta is hard to find in a midwestern supermarket, but combining Calabrian chili paste with sweet paprika flawlessly mimics its fermented, salty, and vibrant profile.