Tuna Crudo with Charred Leek, Poblano Pepper, Cumin Aïoli and Pepitas

Photo by Michael Piazza / Styled by Catrine Kelty

Massachusetts-landed yellowfin tuna is one of summer’s great seafood prizes. It’s amazing both raw or lightly grilled. Here, as a crudo, it’s the perfect start to a summer feast. We’ve added poblanos for a little spice, charred leek for smoke, cilantro for freshness and pepitas for texture. The cumin aïoli adds some creamy texture and complements the heat of the poblano.

Serves 6 as a starter

12 ounces tuna steak 
2 poblano peppers 
2 leeks, light green and white parts only, split lengthwise, rinsed well in cold water to remove dirt 
½ cup raw pepitas (pumpkin seeds) 
½ bunch cilantro, roughly chopped 
4 tablespoons olive oil 
1 teaspoon cumin seeds 
1 garlic clove 
1 large egg yolk 
2 teaspoons fresh lime juice 
pinch salt 
½ teaspoon Dijon mustard 
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil 
¼ cup vegetable oil 
1 tablespoon lime juice 
flaky sea salt

Start by preparing the tuna. Remove the skin and any dark gray bits of bloodline. Dice into ½-inch cubes. Keep cold while preparing the other ingredients.

Light a charcoal or gas grill. Rub peppers with olive oil and grill over medium heat. Rotate the peppers to ensure an even char. Use tongs to remove peppers from the grill and place in a bowl; cover with an inverted plate or a thick tea towel to steam the peppers and soften the flesh. Once peppers have cooled to room temperature, remove them from the bowl, scrape off the charred skin and remove the white membrane and seeds from the interior. Dice the peppers and season with salt and pepper. 

Dry the cleaned leeks on a paper towel and season with salt, pepper and olive oil. Grill over medium heat. Cook until the leeks are nicely charred and tender. Remove from the grill and allow to cool before dicing the leeks, char and all. 

Toast the pepitas in a sauté pan with 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Toss and swirl the seeds until they color slightly and get puffy and fragrant, about 3 minutes. Drain oil and dry the seeds on paper towels; season with salt and pepper.

To make the cumin aïoli, toast the cumin seeds in a dry sauté pan over medium heat, tossing and swirling the seeds until fragrant. Allow cumin to cool, then crush the seeds with a mortar and pestle. Grate garlic clove on a Microplane into a medium-sized bowl. Add egg yolk, lemon juice, salt, Dijon mustard and cumin to the bowl. Gently start whisking the contents of the bowl. Slowly drizzle in the oil until all the oil has been absorbed and the aïoli is thick. Taste for seasoning, adding salt or a splash more lime juice as needed.

To assemble, dress the diced tuna with olive oil in a medium-sized mixing bowl. Season with sea salt and lime juice. Add the peppers, leeks and cilantro and mix well. Transfer tuna mixture to a chilled shallow bowl or serving dish. Sprinkle with pepitas and dot the aïoli evenly across the top. 

This recipe appeared in the Summer 2022 issue as part of a larger story: A Thistle & Leek Summertime Supper.