Seared Spicy Tuna in Mole Amarillo
This chile is called “chile guero”(translated blonde chile) in Mexico. Caribes are part of the ‘wax’ type of chile peppers which include several different varieties ranging from mild to scorching. This variety is hot (5,000 – 8,000 Scoville Units) and can be used as substitutes for Jalapeno to add a different color and flavor to salsas and recipes. When you roast these it enhances the flavor. On a grill or skillet roast these at med/high heat for 8-10 minutes.
Ingredients:
Mole Amarillo:
1 Tbsp. unsalted butter
large yellow onion, chopped
15 yellow caribe or guero chiles, stemmed, halved and seeded
3 yellow bell peppers, roasted, peeled and seeded
8 fresh or drained canned tomatillos
3 roasted garlic cloves
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground allspice
1 tsp. sugar
pinch of ground nutmeg
salt to taste
2 Tbsp. peanut oil.
Four 6-oz. tuna steaks
4 Tbsp. chili powder
1 Tbsp. ground coriander
1 Tbsp. coarsely ground black pepper
2 tsp. crushed fennel seed
1 tsp. dried thyme, crumbled
1 Tbsp. kosher salt
Instructions:
To prepare the mole:
Melt the butter in a large sauté pan or skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté, stirring frequently, until the onion is translucent, about 3-4 minutes. Add the chiles and bell peppers and sauté over low heat for about 25-30 minutes, stirring frequently, until the chilies are tender.
Husk the fresh tomatillos, if using, and wash them with hot water. Chop the fresh or canned tomatillos and place them in a blender or food processor with the chile mixture, garlic, cinnamon, all-spice, sugar, nutmeg and salt. Purée the mixture, adding a small amount of water if necessary to make a smooth liquid.
Heat the oil in a large sauté pan or skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sauce and cook 5-7 minutes, stirring constantly, to thicken. The sauce may be made up to 2 days in advance and refrigerated, tightly covered. Rewarm over low heat in a small saucepan before serving.
To prepare the tuna:
Rinse the tuna steaks and pat them dry with paper towels. Combine the chili powder, coriander, pepper, fennel seed, thyme and salt in a small bowl and mix well.
Heat a large heavy nonstick sauté pan or skillet over high heat until extremely hot, at least 5 minutes. Coat both sides of the fillets in the seasoning mix. Blacken the fillets by searing them for about 2 minutes on each side; if they are thick, also sear the sides so that the seasoning mix will be cooked.
To serve:
Cut each piece of tuna on the diagonal into 2 pieces. Stand 2 pieces of fillet on each of 4 plates with the cut sides upward to show the rare centers. Spoon Mole Amarillo around the tuna; garnish each plate with a rosemary sprig.
Recipe from www.greatchefs.com.