It Pays to Have Friends Who Are Hunters and Gatherers – Seared Tuna with Sesame Seeds
The other day I thought we were going to pick up a pizza for dinner. But late in the day, my wife called to tell me that our friend (and her co-worker) Carl had just given her a huge hunk of fresh-caught, sushi-grade bluefin tuna that he had caught off Montauk. It’s good to have friends who are hunters and gatherers and fishers and gardeners.
When she brought it home, it was beautiful; more than enough to easily feed four. I cut the tuna into steaks and seasoned them with salt and pepper. I rolled the edges in black and white sesame seeds and quickly seared the steaks on both sides. Along with just-picked, sautéed garden vegetables and home-grown summer tomatoes, it made for a delightful meal.
Besides Carl, we have other friends who grow and/or harvest a portion of their food, and from time to time, we have been the grateful beneficiaries. The food they provide is always far superior than what I would purchase in a store, and the price is right. In addition to a wide variety of fish species, we have received venison and Canada goose from hunters, fresh-picked wild cranberries from gatherers, honey from beekeepers, and dozens of eggs with the most perfect orange yolks from friends who raise chickens. We also get produce from fellow gardeners to fill gaps I may have in my garden that year. Of course we give as well as receive. I always share the seasonal bounty from my garden, giving away whatever is overflowing from my basket.
Whenever you get a gift from a friend who is a hunter or gatherer or fisher or gardener, drop your dinner plans and use the present to make an amazing meal. That pizza can always wait for another night.
Seared Tuna with Sesame Seeds
serves 2, about 10 minutes
2 sushi-grade tuna steaks, approximately 1 inch thick
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbsp. white sesame seeds
2 Tbsp. black sesame seeds
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
- Using a paper towel, pat dry both sides of the tuna steaks and season with salt and pepper on both sides.
- Mix the sesame seeds together on a plate. Roll the outer edges of the tuna steaks in the sesame seeds until they are fully covered.
- Heat a skillet large enough to easily fit both tuna steaks on high until a few drops of water dance and sizzle across the skillet.
- Add the oil, swirl it around, and heat for a few seconds, until just before smoking.
- Place the tuna steaks flat in the skillet and sear for 1 to 2 minutes per side for rare, or longer if you want the fish to be more well done.
