Recipe: Kiwifruit & tuna tartare

WORDS Sophie Petersen Avenues Food Editor

Give me a cold glass of Chenin Blanc, good company, and some fresh seafood to pick at from the middle of the table, and I’ll be very happy indeed. This dish brings together silky tuna and sweet kiwifruit over a light and creamy base, finished with plenty of zing and a little salty crunch. It’s fresh without being fussy and fancy without requiring much effort. 

I like to keep a couple of good-quality tuna steaks tucked away in the freezer for moments just like this. Pull one out when friends are coming over, or when the afternoon calls for something a little more exciting. Chop, mix, layer, pop open the crisps, and pour the glass of wine. That’s about as much cooking as I want to be doing when the sun is shining. 

Serves 4-6

Tuna tartare 

160g sashimi-grade tuna, cut into 1x1cm cubes 

Juice of 1 lime 

2 tbsp chives, finely chopped 

1 tbsp olive oil 

1 tsp wholegrain mustard 

½ green bird’s eye chilli, thinly sliced 

2 tbsp shallots, finely chopped 

1 green kiwifruit, peeled and cut into 1x1cm cubes 

1 gold kiwifruit, peeled and cut into 1x1cm cubes 

Hot honey crème fraîche 

250g crème fraîche 

3 tbsp capers, roughly chopped 

2 tsp olive oil 

2 tsp hot honey 

Generous pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper 

2 tsp chives, finely chopped 

Juice of 1 lime 

3 tsp shallots, finely chopped 

Place the cubed tuna in a bowl and add the lime juice, chives, olive oil, wholegrain mustard, green chilli, shallots, green kiwi, and gold kiwi. Gently toss to combine. 

In a separate bowl, mix together the crème fraîche, capers, olive oil, hot honey, salt, pepper, chives, lime juice, and shallots until well combined. 

Spoon the crème fraîche mixture onto a serving plate or into a shallow bowl. Layer the tuna tartare over the top. Garnish with any extra chilli or chives. 

Enjoy immediately with thin-cut salted crisps.