
Grilled Marinated Tuna with Herb Butter
Grilled Marinated Tuna with Herb Butter
Herb Butter
- 1/2 cup margarine or butter, softened
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons minced green onion, including tops
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh tarragon
Directions
- In small bowl, combine margarine, mustard, onion, parsley and tarragon. Set aside for flavors to blend.
Tuna Steaks
- 8 tuna steaks
- 1/2 cup canola oil
- 1/3 cup soy sauce
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1/2 teaspoon minced fresh garlic
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- Prepare Herb Butter as outlined above and set aside.
- In small bowl, combine oil, soy sauce, lemon juice, zest, garlic and pepper. Reserve 1/3 cup.
- Place steaks in single layer in shallow baking dish. Pour remaining marinade over them. Marinate in refrigerator 45 minutes, turning once.
- Place steaks in well-greased hinged wire grill. Cook about 4 inches from heat until done on one side, about 6 minutes. Baste top side with reserved marinade and turn. Cook until done, about 6 minutes. Place on serving dish and spread with Herb Butter.
Recipe from Mariner’s Menu, courtesy of North Carolina Sea Grant.

Grilled Tuna with Lemon Mayonnaise
Grilled Tuna with Lemon Mayonnaise
Lemon Mayonnaise
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons lemon zest
- In small bowl, combine mayonnaise, juice, cayenne, salt and zest. Set aside for flavors to blend.
Tuna Steaks
- 4 tuna steaks, about 1 inch thick
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- Prepare Lemon Mayonnaise as outlined above and set aside.
- Brush steaks with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill about 4 inches from coals until done on one side, about 6 to 7 minutes. Turn and repeat on other side. Spread with Lemon Mayonnaise. Serves 4.
Recipe from Mariner’s Menu, courtesy of North Carolina Sea Grant.

Herb Broiled Yellowfin Tuna
Herb Broiled Yellowfin Tuna
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds yellowfin tuna loin cuts, boneless and skinless, 3/4 inch thick
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
- 4 teaspoons chopped parsley
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon lemon peel, coarsely grated
Directions
Rinse tuna with cold water; pat dry with paper towels. In a small saucepan, melt butter. Add basil, parsley, mustard, lemon juice, and salt and pepper to taste. Place tuna in a glass ceramic baking dish; top with 3/4 of the marinade. Marinate in refrigerator at least 30 minutes, turning once. Drain tuna and discard used marinade. Place on well-greased broiler pan; baste with reserved marinade. Broil 4-5 inches from source of heat for 3 minutes. Tuna should be pink in the center when removed from heat. Transfer to serving platter and sprinkle with lemon peel.

Parmesan Crusted Swordfish
Parmesan Crusted Swordfish
Ingredients
- 2 swordfish steaks, 5 oz. each
- 2 tablespoons flour and 2 tablespoons water
- Parmesan crust: mix 1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese, ½ teaspoon oregano, 4 tablespoons Japanese-style bread crumbs, 1 teaspoon granulated garlic
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Sauce
- Olive oil for sautéing
- 2 tablespoons prosciutto ham, diced
- 2 cloves fresh garlic, sliced
- 2 tablespoons red onions, small dice
- ½ cup chicken stock
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2 cups fresh spinach, trimmed
- 2 tablespoons golden raisins
- 3 tablespoons ripe tomato, diced
- Salt and pepper to taste
Mashed Potatoes
- 2 fresh rosemary sprigs, 1 lemon wedge, and chopped fresh parsley for garnish
Mix two tablespoons of flour and the water to make a “slurry” the consistency of heavy cream. Brush swordfish with flour slurry and encrust on both sides with the Parmesan breading mixture. Sear the Parmesan-crusted swordfish in hot oil until golden brown and bake in oven until medium. While the fish is baking, sauté garlic, onions, and prosciutto in oil until lightly brown. Add chicken stock and stir in butter to thicken. Add raisins and tomatoes and lightly toss in the spinach. Quickly season with salt and pepper and remove from heat to ensure the spinach stays bright green.
To serve: Place swordfish over bed of mashed potatoes, top with sauce, and garnish.
Note: Other types of firm-fleshed fish may be substituted, such as tuna or mahi-mahi.
Rob Reper
Virginia Beach, VA
Recipe from “Chefs’ Seafood Symposium” archives, courtesy of Virginia Sea Grant, Virginia Institute of Marine Science.

Seared Albacore Tuna
Seared Albacore Tuna
Ingredients
- 6, 5-ounce portions of tuna
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup chopped green onions
- 1 lemon, quartered and seeded
- Pinch of salt
- Pinch of pepper
Directions
Place tuna on a plate. Coat tuna with olive oil and a sprinkle of salt and pepper.
- Heat a heavy skillet over medium high heat. Sear tuna to medium rare (about 1 minute on each side) and quickly remove from heat.
- Garnish with green onions and lemon.

Skipjack Tuna Ceviche
Skipjack Tuna Ceviche
Ingredients
- 1/2 pound skipjack tuna, cleaned of skin and blood line
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons pepitas (pumpkin seeds), toasted and crushed
- Botarga vinaigrette (recipe below)
Directions
Make sure the tuna is very cold. Dice tuna into 1/4-inch cubes using a very sharp knife. In a stainless-steel or glass bowl, mix tuna with 1/2 of the vinaigrette, salt, and pepper. Refrigerate for 20 minutes. Add remaining vinaigrette to the chilled ceviche. Adjust the seasonings again. Serve chilled, garnished with crushed pepitas.
For the vinaigrette
- 2 tablespoons pepitas, toasted and crushed
- 1 ounce tuna botarga (dried caviar, or any other botarga will do, chopped)
- 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
- 3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup pumpkinseed oil
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
With the blade running, add pepitas, botarga, and lime juice to the food processor. Add the oils and process until incorporated. Season with salt and pepper.
Recipe credit: Chef Guillermo Pernot from One Fish, Two Fish, Crawfish, Bluefish: The Smithsonian Sustainable Seafood Cookbook

Wild Pacific Albacore Tuna “Melt”
Wild Pacific Albacore Tuna “Melt”
For the salad
- 6-ounce can of Wild Pacific albacore tuna (American tuna)
- 1 tablespoon grated carrot
- 1 tablespoon chopped celery
- 1 tablespoon chopped red bell pepper
- 1 teaspoon sliced chives
- 1 tablespoon chopped Kalamata olives
- 1 teaspoon chopped capers
- 1 lemon juiced and zested
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Sriracha hot sauce
For the sandwich
- 2 thick slices artisan bread
- Handful baby spinach
- 2 slices provolone cheese
- 3 slices of tomato
- Butter for toasting
Combine all the ingredients together for the salad. Build the sandwich with the remaining ingredients and toast in butter either in the oven or on a stove-top. Serve hot.
Recipe credit: Chef Andrew Gruel, Owner and Operator of SlapFish in Huntington Beach, California
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