Maine Bluefin Tuna with Cucumber-Tomato Vierge

July 22, 2025 By: Browne Trading Company

Time: 25 minutes

When our old colleague from Per Se makes a Maine bluefin tuna recipe, we have to share it. Our good friends at Dockwa and the Galley Club created this second recipe, highlighting pristine, local tuna that comes together in minutes.

INGREDIENTS

Yield: 2 servings

2 x 5 ounces Maine bluefin tuna
Vegetable oil (canola, grapeseed, or avocado)
Kosher salt and black pepper
1 cup finely diced heirloom tomato
1 cup finely diced English cucumber, peeled if the skin is tough
4 tbsp olive oil
Juice of 1 lime
1 tbsp minced shallot

PREPARATION

Step 1

In a small bowl, combine tomato, cucumber, shallot, olive oil, lime juice, salt, and pepper. Stir gently and let sit for 10–15 minutes while you prepare the fish. This allows the flavors to meld into something greater than the sum of its parts.

Step 2

Pat the fillets dry. Season generously with kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper. Rub each fillet lightly with olive oil.

Step 3

Heat a skillet or grill pan until it’s just about smoking. Add a slick of oil, then place the fillets in carefully. It’s important to use a high heat tolerant vegetable oil for searing. (Extra Virgin Olive oil, for example, cannot handle cooking at high heat and starts to break down, giving whatever you’re cooking a bitter taste.) Sear for about 2–3 minutes per side, depending on thickness. You’re looking for golden crust on the outside, rare in the center, warm to the touch, but not cooked through.

Step 4

Spoon the vierge onto your plate. Slice each fillet and place onto of the vierge. Serve immediately. Add grilled bread or crushed new potatoes on the side if you’d like something to soak up the juices. Enjoy!