Tasty Tuna Steaks

New Year's Eve. 2022 into 2023. The ER shift. The tradition. The midnight between years. This year the midnight felt weighted with awareness — the MSN program continues, the book manuscript is with the publisher, the ER career is in its late chapters. The awareness that this New Year's Eve shift might be one of the last makes the shift precious in a way it hasn't been before — the preciousness of a thing you're about to lose, the beauty that appears only in the leaving.

Pete and I at midnight. The pause. He said, "How many more of these, Santos?" I said, "I don't know." He said, "I do." Pete knows. Pete has always known. Pete has been watching me leave for two years and has been waiting at the nursing station for the leaving to happen, not with sadness but with the particular pride of a mentor watching a protégé outgrow the room. "You're going to be a great teacher," he said. The greatest compliment Pete has ever given me. Greater than any food compliment. Greater than any sinigang praise. The teacher compliment. From Pete. At midnight. In the ER. I will carry this.

Lugaw at 6 AM. The tradition. The first food of 2023. Journal entry: "2023. The MSN continues. The book is being published. Mia turns one this month. I am thirty-three. The ER is still the ER. But the ER is not the only room anymore. The other rooms are opening. Start with garlic."

The journal note said it plainly: “Start with garlic.” That’s always been my reset — when the shift ends, when the year turns, when Pete says something I’ll carry for the rest of my life, I come home and I start with garlic in a hot pan. This tuna steak recipe is what I reach for when I need something fast, warm, and substantial enough to match the weight of a moment — high heat, a short marinade, and that sizzle that tells you the pan is ready and so are you. It’s the kind of cook that clears your head and opens the next room.

Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 8 minutes | Total Time: 18 minutes | Servings: 4

Ingredients

4 tuna steaks (about 6 oz each, 1 inch thick)
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley or sliced green onions, for garnish
Lemon wedges, for serving

Instructions

Make the marinade. In a shallow dish, whisk together 2 tablespoons olive oil, garlic, soy sauce, lemon juice, sesame oil, black pepper, salt, and red pepper flakes if using.
Marinate the tuna. Add the tuna steaks to the dish, turning to coat both sides. Let marinate at room temperature for 10 minutes — no longer, or the acid will begin to cook the fish.
Heat the pan. Place a cast iron skillet or heavy-bottomed pan over high heat. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and heat until the oil shimmers and just begins to smoke.
Sear the steaks. Remove tuna from the marinade, letting any excess drip off. Sear 2 to 3 minutes per side for medium-rare (pink in the center), or up to 4 minutes per side for fully cooked. Do not move the steaks while they sear.
Rest and serve. Transfer steaks to a cutting board and rest for 2 minutes. Garnish with parsley or green onions and serve immediately with lemon wedges.

Nutrition (per serving)

Tasty Tuna Steaks — Start With Garlic, Start the Year Right