Seared Tuna with Orange Fennel Salad

About a year and a half ago, I was sent an affiliate box from Sitka Salmon Shares, and I loved the quality of the seafood so much that I have had a Premium Seafood Subscription Box ever since. I love the variety as well, but some of the seafood I am not as familiar with how best to cook it. Luckily, Sitka Salmon Shares has some seriously amazing recipes on their website, including this one for Seared Tuna with Orange Fennel Salad.

To make this recipe easier to come together, I strongly suggest using a mandoline (I love the one that comes in Oxo’s Mini Complete Grate and Slice Set [paid link]) to slice the fennel and red onion. I am quite accident prone, so I also strongly suggest purchasing a cut-resistant glove (paid link) so that you keep all of your fingers cut-free.

Ingredients:

• 2 (8 to 10 ounce) portions albacore tuna
• 3 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 tablespoon ground coriander
• salt, to taste
• ground pepper, to taste
• 1 large navel orange
• 1 fennel bulb, trimmed and very thinly sliced
• 1/2 red onion, very thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped pitted Castelvetrano olives (I like to keep half of them whole and chop the other half)
• the juice of 1 lemon
• 2 tablespoons reserved fennel fronds, plus more for garnish
• 3 tablespoons freshly chopped parsley, plus more for garnish

Albacore tuna is a seafood that does not need to be fully cooked to enjoy, it just needs a quick sear, so this recipe comes together quite quickly!

Pat the fish dry with paper towels and rub with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Sprinkle with the coriander, salt, and pepper, patting gently to adhere.

Heat a medium nonstick or cast-iron skillet over medium high heat. Add 1/2 tablespoon olive oil, swirling to coat. Add the tuna and sear on all sides until golden, but not cooked through — I went for 1 minute per side.

Remove from heat and transfer to a cutting board. Let rest while you work on the salad.

To make the salad, thinly slice your fennel using a mandoline slicer and add to a large bowl. Sprinkle in the fennel fronds.

Thinly slice your red onion and add to the bowl.

Add in the olives, lemon juice and parsley.

Drizzle with your remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

Trim both ends of your orange so it stands upright. Following the curve of the orange, cut away the peel, removing the skin and white pith. Cut between the membranes of the orange, releasing the segments into the bowl.

Toss to combine.

To serve, cut the tuna crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick slices.

Divide the salad into bowls and top with slices of the tuna.

There are so many wonderful bold flavors in this dish, but they work so well together!

Cutting the fennel and red onion thin means those flavors don’t overwhelm the tuna, olives, or orange, but instead complement them.

I have made this recipe many times already and it is quickly becoming a weekday favorite!