Union Square Cafe Tuna Burgers Recipe

ingredients

Ginger-Mustard Glaze
1/3 cup teriyaki sauce
2 teaspoons minced ginger
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon white wine vinegar

Tuna Burgers
1 1/2 pound yellowfin tuna, free of any skin or gristle
2 teaspoons minced garlic
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup olive oil
4 seeded, fresh hamburger buns
1/4 cup Japanese pickled ginger, available in Japanese specialty food shops (optional)

directions

Combine all the ginger-mustard glaze ingredients in a 1-quart saucepan and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer until the glaze coats the back of a spoon, about 5 minutes. Strain through a sieve and reserve in a warm place until tuna burgers are cooked. Can be prepared up to two days ahead and stored, refrigerated and covered.

Grind the tuna in a meat grinder or chop with a large, sharp knife to the texture of hamburger meat. Do not use a food processor, which will shred the tuna rather than chop it. Transfer the ground tuna to a bowl and combine with the garlic, mustard, cayenne, salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly.

Divide the tuna into equal amounts. Using your hands, roll each part into a smooth ball and then flatten into a compact patty. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and sear the tuna burgers until browned and medium rare, about 3-4 minutes per side.

Serve each burger on a buttered toasted bun and spread with a tablespoon of warm glaze. Garnish the burgers with equal amounts of pickled ginger slices.

nutrition data

497 calories, 18 grams fat, 36 grams carbohydrates, 46 grams protein per serving.

reviews & comments

bari REVIEW:
May 25, 2008

this worked really well. the glaze is super. I'm not sure if it's exactly union square, it's been so long since i ate the tuna burger there, but I thought this was really nice. My boyfriend and I skipped the bun, and it was still great- so i can only imagine what happens when you add a great toasted bun to this! Receipe 1/2s well, which is a good alternative to high price of tuna these days. very enjoyable. only trick is not to overcook- 1/4 cup of oil is a lot, but it's for frying purposes. most of that goes down the drain. enjoy.

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