Blackened Tuna, Mango Salsa and Chipotle Cheddar Polenta
Blackened Tuna and Mango Salsa Dish Guide
Serves 2 (doubles Easily)
For the Tuna
2 six to eight oz tuna steaks
Blackening seasoning
1 lemon
1 T oil
Season your tuna with your blackening seasoning of choice. Heat oil in a non-stick skillet until just smoking. Add the tuna carefully and cook for 2-3 minutes until nicely browned. Turn and cook for 2-3 more minutes. The pan must be hot for the tuna to sear without cooking through well done. Tuna is best served between rare and medium but of course cook to your liking. Squeeze on fresh lemon juice after cooking.
For the Mango Salsa
1 small jalapeno, seeded and minced
1 T minced cilantro
1 mango, diced (about a cup)
1 green onion, minced
Juice of 1 lime
¼ cup diced red onion
½ cup diced red bell pepper
Salt and pepper to taste
Prepare and combine all the salsa ingredients in a bowl and season to taste. Serve immediately or keep in the fridge for 4-5 days.
For the Chipotle Cheddar Polenta
1 cup milk
1 cup water
½ cup ground corn meal
1-2 minced chipotle peppers in adobo
4 oz. grated cheddar cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
In a medium size bowl add the milk and water. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Once simmering, whisk in the corn meal stirring constantly for the first couple minutes to fully incorporate it into the liquid and prevent lumps. Season with salt and pepper. Turn to low and cover, stirring every few minutes for 15-20 minutes until thick and creamy. Add the chipotle and cheddar and stir to incorporate. Season the tuna with a blackening seasoning of your choice. Taste for seasoning and if the texture is too thick for your liking, add a splash of water to loosen.
Dish Notes
Polenta is a very basic dish that can be modified or enhanced by any and all ingredients added. Feel free to mix in any ingredients that you want to compliment your dish. We love this dish in general for its simplicity and tropical flavor profile - it truly demonstrates how fast and simple great food can be to prepare.
