Tuna with Plums

As you all know, I’m a huge fan of the stone fruits. Cherries, peaches, plums, pluots… I just can’t get enough. While I (like a lot of you out there) usually turn my stone fruits into something sweet, occasionally I’ll switch things up and turn that sweet fruit into something savory. Last week I turned super sweet peaches into a savory chicken dish. This week, I’m taking plums and pluots and ladling them over tuna steaks.

Tuna with plums? It seemed odd to me, too. But when I saw the recipe in Food & Wine, I just had to try it. Like the Peach Chicken, the tuna was delicious. The plums brought a delightful sweetness to the salty fish, turning it into something I never would have expected.

Those surprising dishes are one of the reasons I love cooking with fruit. Sure, it’s fun to make desserts or salads, but when I can take the same fruit I just used to make a tart and instead add it to a salty protein, I have a dinner that’s not only mouth-watering, it’s unexpected. The sweet fruit brings out the savory flavors of the fish without overpowering them. Your taste buds will be so overjoyed they won’t be able to stop. I know mine were. The fish disappeared so quickly, I was sad there wasn’t more. Guess I’ll just have to make some.

There’s good news though: plums are going to be around for at least another month. That gives you (and me) more than enough time to make this dish at least twice. You can even try it using different plums each time. In fact, it would be interesting to see how the different plums change the flavors of the dish. Now I really can’t wait to make it again.

Tuna with Plums

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 cup dry white wine (like chardonnay)
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon thyme, chopped
• 4 (4 ounce) tuna steaks
• salt and pepper to taste
• 3 plums, pitted and quartered
• 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

Directions:

1. Whisk 1/2 cup olive oil, wine, mustard and thyme together in a baking dish. Add the tuna steaks and turn to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes.
2. Heat the remaining oil in a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Remove the tuna from the marinade and season with salt and pepper. Cook the tuna over medium-high heat, turning once, until browned, but still pink in the center, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer to 4 plates.
3. While the tuna rests, cook the plums in the same skillet over medium heat until tender, 3-4 minutes. Add the maple syrup and lemon juice and cook until syrupy, 1 – 2 minutes. Spoon the plums and sauce over the tuna and serve.