Sesame Crusted Tuna Steak Lettuce Wraps

Things I didn’t do last night: this.

Things I did instead. Watched Lemonade on repeat. Maybe four times. Maybe more. I even made a nasty lemonade drink with a little hot sauce as attempted tribute to the album. Definite fail. However the picture didn’t totally suck so I still posted it on social media. Word to the wise. Don’t make it. Don’t even try. OR replace the hot sauce with cayenne and you’ve got yourself the Master Cleanse, Lemonade Diet. Which still kind of works because I am pretty sure Beyonce did the exact detox way back when.

That ‘Yonce. I just can’t keep up. Girl is so ahead of the times.

But if lemonade and beyonce just don’t do it for you (…….????…….) than have no fear. I’m done obsessing (externally, internally I’m still dying).

The reason for this post. Sesame crusted tuna steaks topped with fresh fruit and vegetables, wrapped in lettuce and drizzled in a spicy sesame mayo. 

basically a taco with class. don’t get me wrong, i love me a crunchy gordita, especially around the wee hours of lets say… 2 am….. ifyoucatchmydrift. but i also really really really want to squeeze my lumps and bumps into a wetsuit this summer and at least pretend to have a toned bod.  so i’ll basically be living off of these until pool season is dismissed.

Cannonball.

Recipe Notes:

Tuna steaks cook REAL quick. So if you’re wanting a more medium rare steak (NOT pictured, I wasn’t paying attention and way over did it) really pay attention to the steaks while they are cooking. 2 minutes a side, tops, will give you a nice red middle with a seared outside. 1 minute longer per side will give you more medium and anything longer than that you’re looking at close to well done. 

I didn’t want to go overboard on toppings here, so I kept with a more light tropical flavor using only cucumbers, mangos and red onion with a little lime juice. This combination also pairs incredibly well with the spicy sesame mayo, which in my fathers opinion, made the entire dish. And I couldn’t agree more. So don’t skip it.

Yes, you could put these in a soft tortilla….. but don’t. If you’re just NEEDING gluten in your life, I suggest the chip route instead.

Sesame Crusted Tuna Steak Lettuce Wraps

Prep time:  20 mins

Cook time:  5 mins

Total time:  25 mins

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Ingredients

For the Tuna:

• 2 tuna steaks (about 1 lb total)
• ¼ cup black sesame seeds
• ¼ cup white sesame seeds
• Kosher Salt
• Coarse Black Pepper
• Olive Oil for Drizzle

Fixings

• 1 head of Butter Lettuce or about 10 leaves
• 2 persian cucumbers, thinly sliced
• 2 mangos, cubed into small ½" pieces
• ½ red onion, diced
• 2 limes, quartered

Spicy Sesame Mayo

• ½ cup mayo
• ⅓ cup sirracha
• 1 tbsp garlic powder
• 3 tbsp sesame oil
• Salt & Pepper to taste.

Instructions

For the Sauce

1. In a bowl add your mayo, sirracha, garlic powder and sesame oil. Mix together until fully blended, salt and pepper to taste. Set in aside in fridge until ready to serve lettuce wraps.

For the Tuna Steaks

1. Heat a grill pan over medium high heat and drizzle with a little bit of oil. While grill pan is heating (for about 8 minutes) Sprinkle your tuna steaks, on both sides, with a little kosher salt and coarse pepper. Drizzle with a little oil (rub in) and then on a large plate add your white and black sesame seeds. Press seasoned tuna steaks down onto sesame seed plate until fully covered in seeds.
2. Add tuna steaks to the now hot grill pan and sear for 2 minutes on both side. Remove, let sit for 30 seconds and then slice thin into long strips (the longer it sits, the more it will continue to cook).

Assembly

1. Place about 3 pieces of tuna in each lettuce wrap and top with a little lime juice, mango chunks, cucumber slices and onion pieces. Drizzle with the spicy sesame mayo sauce and serve.

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