Seared Tuna Sandwich

This tasty sandwich covers many flavour bases: fresh, rich, crunchy and zesty. You could cook the tuna steaks on a BBQ for a charred finish or add a dash of wasabi to the lime aioli dressing for a wallop of heat.

4 tuna steaks
8 slices of sourdough bread
1 x cos lettuce
¼ cup sesame oil
½ lime, juiced
½ cup Kewpie mayonnaise or whole egg mayonnaise
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 tbs sesame seeds, toasted
Salt and pepper, to season

Make the aioli dressing by whisking together 1 tbs sesame oil with the lime juice and zest, crushed garlic clove and mayo. Season with salt. Set aside.

Grill your sourdough bread slices for 1-2 minutes on one side only until golden and lightly toasted. Keeping one side “bready” will give your sandwich a bit of bounce. Cover the grilled bread with a clean tea towel to keep them warm while you cook the tuna.

Get a frying pan very hot over high heat. Use a pastry brush to generously coat the tuna steaks in sesame oil. Lightly season with salt. Cook for about 30 seconds to 1 minute each side for a raw centre.

Spread the aioli dressing on a warm grilled slice of sourdough. Top with a cos lettuce leaf, the sliced tuna steak and a sprinkling of sesame seeds. Top with one more bread slice. Consume while warm!

Recipe by Hayley McKee for Hagen’s Organics
Photography by Kelli Morris