Yellowfin Chili Verde Sopes: A Mexican Tuna Creation

Mexican Tuna Recipes

I love Mexican tuna recipes, especially with fresh caught tuna. This recipe places seared yellowfin tuna chunks inside a Mexican sope and is topped with homemade chili verde. What's a Mexican sope? It's similar to a Mexican corn tortilla, only thicker, and then it has edges around its circumference to lock food inside. Sopes are easy to find and buy, and then it's a matter of making homemade chili verde sauce. So the recipe is easy and straight forward, that is of course, once you catch the tuna.

How Did I End Up With Fresh Tuna?

That was the goal for Andy and I on Wednesday, July 22nd. There were reports of yellowfin tuna just outside of Dana Point. So we launched our kayaks bright and early from the marina, caught our own bait and then found a cluster of boats just offshore.

There, birds, dolphins, and crystal clear blue water all came to a head. Andy got picked up, fought the good fight and quickly brought the tuna to his kayak. My first hook up ended with my line bit off. My second hook up was a solid fish plus it was my first yellowfin from the kayak.

But, that's not the end of the story. As I'm bleeding the fish, I hear Andy yelling at me, "Yanni, get your feet out of the water, shark!" I didn't have to even turn my head, the 10ft. hammer head was butting its head against my kayak. How did I know it was 10 ft.? My kayak is 12 feet and it brushed up along side me. It's head was 3ft wide.

Andy was thinking clearly. He tossed out a few dead baits to attract the shark and then we turned our kayaks into jet skis... One helluva day.

Mexican Tuna Recipes: Sopes De Tuna (makes 4 sopes)

1 pound fresh tuna fillets cut into 6 inch long “hot dogs”

4 sopes (available at any Mexican market)

¼ pound of Cotija cheese, grated

2 tablespoons turmeric

2 tablespoons cumin

2 tablespoon kosher salt

2 tablespoon coarse black pepper

Chili Verde

1 lemon

3 anaheim peppers

1 onion quartered

2 pablano

2 jalepenos

1 pound tomatillos

3 cloves of garlic

Bundle of cilantro chopped

3 green onions chopped

1 tablespoon of dry chicken stock powder

2 teaspoons of sugar

½ cup of water

Kosher salt

Coarse black pepper

Vegetable oil for frying

Start Creating Mexican Tuna Recipes Here!

1. First, start by heating a ¼” of vegetable oil in a 9” frying pan and bring to the smoking point. And now, fry the sopes until golden brown. Set aside.

2. Create the dry rub for the tuna by mixing the turmeric, cumin, salt and pepper together and then completely cover the tuna strips with the dry rub. Heat 1/8'' of vegetable oil in a 9” frying pan and bring to the smoking point. Fry the tuna strips for no more than 10 seconds on each side. Place in the refrigerator for 10-15 minutes to cool down and then once cooled, cut into 1” chunks.

Create The Chili Verde

3. To create the chili verde, heat a skillet, then add the anaheim peppers, quartered onion, garlic cloves, and tomatillos. Turn and roast the vegetables until softened and caramelized (don't allow the garlic to burn, remove if necessary). At the same time, place the pablanos and jalapenos over a flame on the cook-top stove. Char the outer skins then place into a plastic bag. Tie a knot in the bag and then allow the peppers to steam for 15 minutes. Strip the skin off the peppers using a paper towel. Remove the pepper's stems and seeds.

4. In a food processor, add the caramelized quartered onion, anaheim peppers, tomatillos, and then the garlic. Now add the skinned roasted pablanos and then the jalapenos. Add the sugar, water, salt, black pepper, dry chicken stock powder and then then juice of a half lemon. Finally add the chopped cilantro and green onions and blend. (Note: You will have extra green chili verde left over, it will last in your refrigerator for 2 weeks, or in your freezer for up to 6 months.)

5. Place the blended chili verde mixture into a pot and then simmer for 15 minutes.

6. To assemble the Tuna Sopes, first ladle the hot chili verde onto the fried sopes and then add the tuna chunks. Ladle more chili verde on top if needed. Finish by adding the grated Cotija cheese, then serve.

Equipment, Kitchen Gadgets And Ingredients I Use For This Recipe

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__________________________________________________________________ 🛠 KITCHEN GADGETS & INGREDIENTS FOR THIS RECIPE 🌶 ➤ Victorinox 8" Curved Fillet Knife $29.99 http://amzn.to/2EPS8e0 ➤ Butcher Saw 22" Stainless Steel $33.99 http://amzn.to/2AicuJF ➤ Teflon Platinum Safe Coating Frying Pan 12-inch $39.99 http://amzn.to/2CXMuIQ ➤ Pro Stainless Steel Mixing Bowl Set of 6 $21.95 http://amzn.to/2CNr3H7 ➤ Stainless Steel Tongs Set 12", 9" Locking $9.75 http://amzn.to/2CEmEt7 ➤ Ex-Large Bamboo Cutting Board 18"x14" $24.95 http://amzn.to/2EXy1uL ➤ 24" Round Hard Wood Cutting Board $21.95 http://amzn.to/2Cxmvo6 ➤ 12-inch Chef's Knife $19.95 http://amzn.to/2CnQuyw ➤ Wusthof Pro Cook’s Knife 12-inch $44.95 http://amzn.to/2CCoOGg ➤ Teflon Safe Frying Pan 12-inch W/Lid $39.89 http://amzn.to/2poH5lW ➤ Frying Kirkland Grapeseed Oil 2L $16.39 http://amzn.to/2CrNNj1

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