Tuna Carnitas

On a menu full of fresh Mexican seafood dishes, deep-fried tuna stands out. At Este in Austin, TX—one of our Best New Restaurants of 2023—chef Fermín Nuñez transforms the delicate fish into crispy-but-tender cubes reminiscent of their porky namesake, piled atop a swoosh of creamy, smoky refried beans. While some diners were initially wary of tuna transformed this way, it won over many hearts (including that of our own restaurant editor Elazar Sontag) with its perfect balance of rich and bright flavors.

Nuñez uses fatty tuna belly at the restaurant, but this recipe recreates the dish’s hallmark texture with tuna steak tossed in rice flour before frying. And while the most time-intensive part of the recipe is braising dried pinto beans, don’t worry; you’ll be rewarded for your patience with enough leftovers to stow in the freezer for a rainy day.