Ingredients

• 350g tuna loin

For the dukkah:

• 22g white sesame seeds
• 22g black sesame seeds
• 2 tsp whole cumin seeds
• 25g roasted hazelnuts, skinned & crushed
• ½ tsp sea salt
• ¼ tsp cracked black pepper

For the lemon pepper jelly:    

• ½ lemon juice and zest
• 200ml water
• 200g sugar
• 5 gelatine leaves
• 1 tsp cracked black pepper

For the pickled cucumber:    

• 1 cucumber
• 1 litre water
• 250g sugar
• 250g white vinegar
• 2 star anise
• 1 cinnamon

For the almond quail egg:    

• 4 quail eggs
• 20g almond flakes
• 60g bread crumbs
• 1 egg
• 50ml milk
• 10g flour

Method

1. Mix all dukkah ingredients; set aside
2. Soak gelatine leaves in ice-cold water until soft. Bring remaining ingredients to a simmer. Remove from heat; add leaves
3. Refrigerate liquid mix on tray. Once set, cube
4. Poach eggs two minutes; dip in cold water
5. Mix almonds, breadcrumbs; mix egg, milk
6. Dry eggs and dust in flour. Place in egg mixture, then breadcrumb mix, then shallow fry until golden
7. Thinly slice cucumber length ways. Combine other ingredients; heat til sugar dissolves. Add cucumber; let sit over night
8. Roll the tuna loin in the dukkah mixture
9. Heat olive oil medium heat. Cook tuna two minutes each side. Remove; let sit one minute. Slice; serve with remaining items

Serves four courtesy of Executive Sous Chef Christopher Dodds, Blue Grill Steakhouse, Yas Island Rotana.