Pepper-crusted Yellowfin Tuna Filet Mignon with Sweet Potato Cake, Red Pepper Puree, and Sun-dried Fruit and Tomato Compote
This fine tuna steak is treated like beef filet mignon: rolled in crushed peppercorns, and seared. It is started on top of the stove, and finished in the oven. When ready, it is stacked with greens, the sweet potato cakes, and a fruity compote for a tall presentation.
Ingredients
- Tuna
- Tuna Steaks - four, 5-ounce
- Mixed Peppercorns - 4 ounces, crushed
- Pinch of salt
- Extra-Virgin Olive Oil - 4 tablespoons
- Sweet Potato Cakes
- Sweet potatoes - 1 pound, peeled and sliced one inch thick
- Sugar - 1/4 cup
- Water - 3/4 cup
- Butter - 1 ounce
- Red Bell Pepper - 1/4 cup, seeded,deribbed, and diced
- Green Bell Peppers - 1/4 cup, seeded,deribbed, and diced
- Scallion - 1/4 cup, chopped
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- Yellow cornmeal - for dusting
- Clarified Butter - 1 tablespoon
- Sun-dried Fruit and Tomato Compote
- Sun-dried mixed fruit - 1/2 cup, roughly chopped
- Sun-dried tomatoes - 1/4 cup, skinned, seeded, and roughly chopped
- Water - 1 cup
- Orange Marmalade - 1 tablespoon
- Red Pepper Puree
- Red Bell Peppers - 2 large
- Oil for brushing
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- Garnish
- Red Wine Vinegar - 1 tablespoon
- Extra-Virgin Olive Oil - 3 tablespoons
- Mixed baby greens - 2 cups
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- Mixed Greens - 1, small bundle
- Chives - 4, cut into 2-inch pieces
Instructions
To make the potato cakes: Place the sweet potatoes in a deep saucepan with the water and sugar and cover. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to simmer, and cook for 12 minutes. Drain off the water and mash, seasoning with salt and pepper to taste. In a small frying pan, heat the butter and saute the peppers and scallion until soft. Add to the potatoes and mix together. Allow the mixture to cool, then shape into 4 patties. Dust with cornmeal and set aside.
To make the compote: Soak the dried fruit and tomatoes separately in 1 cup water for 1 hour. Place in separate small pans and simmer until all the liquid has evaporated. Allow to cool and mix with the marmalade.
To make the pepper puree: Brush the pepper with oil and roast over hot coals or a gas flame until the skin is charred and blistered. Place in a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let sit for 10 minutes. Break open the pepper and wash off the skin and seeds under running water. Puree in a food processor and season to taste. Put in a plastic squeeze bottle.
To prepare the tuna: Preheat the oven to 375 F. Combine the crushed peppercorns with the salt and press onto the outside edges of the tuna (do not cover the top and bottom of the fillets). Heat one tablespoon of the olive oil in a medium ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat and sear a tuna filet on all sides, 20 seconds per sides. Set aside and repeat for remaining tuna filets. Place the tuna in the oven for 4 minutes (for medium).
Heat clarified butter in another medium ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat and fry the potato cakes until golden on both sides, and place them in the oven for 4 minutes.
To serve: Whisk together the vinegar and olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Toss the greens in the mixture and divide among four serving plates. Place a potato cake on the greens, then place a tuna fillet on each potato cake. Put a rounded spoonful of compote on top of the tuna, and drizzle the plate with red pepper puree. Sprinkle chives on top of the compote.
