Aug. 18, 2002 – It's sportsfishing season and mango season in the Virgin Islands. What do you get when you put them together? A great entrée! Mango Jerk Tuna is as delicious as it is nutritious.
Tuna — specifically yellowfin, blackfin and skipjack — swim in offshore Virgin Islands waters year-'round. But these fish typically are caught more during the summer blue marlin season as sportfishing enthusiasts head out in search of the prized billfish that feed on tuna.
There's nothing like the look of a freshly caught tuna brought dockside and sliced into thick, meaty fillets. Some fishermen just add a little lime juice and seasonings for instant sashimi.
But I like my tuna cooked — grilled, to be specific. Marinating is a great way to flavor fish, and I've come up with a marinade that makes use of the mangoes ripening on the trees at this time of year. Adding spicy, hot jerk sauce to this mango marinade enlivens the flavor of the fish and tones down the sweetness of the fruit. Best of all, fresh tuna, mango and jerk sauce combined with a few other flavorings make for a filling entrée that is virtually fat free. Enjoy!
Mango Jerk Tuna
1 small mango, peeled and chopped
1 small onion, chopped
2 tablespoons jerk sauce
Juice of 2 fresh limes
1 teaspoon honey
Four 7-oz. tuna steaks, 1 inch thick
Salt and black pepper, to taste
In a blender or food processor, combine the mango, onion, jerk sauce, lime juice and honey. Process until smooth and transfer to a medium bowl. Season tuna with salt and pepper. Add tuna to the marinade and turn to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 3 hours. Preheat the grill. Remove the tuna from the marinade, season with salt and pepper and grill on a lightly oiled rack for 4 to 5 minutes per side. Serve with rice and beans and fresh-cooked broccoli.
Makes 4 servings. Per serving (without rice and broccoli): 340 calories, 6 gms fat (15 percent fat calories), 42 mg cholesterol, 224 mg sodium.
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