Grilled tuna with tomato, caper, olive and pinenut salsa

Name: Grilled tuna with tomato, caper, olive and pinenut salsa
Cook time: 30 min
Yield: 4-6
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Ingredients: 600-800g MSC-certified yellowfin tuna steaks; ½ bunch thyme; 2 minced garlic cloves; 70g finely diced celery; 40ml extra virgin olive oil; 300g cherry tomatoes; 1 tsp Calabrian chilli paste*; 50g black olives (pits removed); 35g rinsed salted capers; 25g lightly toasted pinenuts; 1 tsp sugar (optional); 2 tsp red wine vinegar (optional); 1 bunch parsley, picked and leaves roughly chopped

Danielle Alvarez

October 30, 2018

The Italian-style tomato and pinenut salsa pairs beautifully with lean fish.William Meppem

easyTime:< 30 minsServes:4-6

As the weather starts to warm up, we all start thinking about outdoor entertaining again. This is a great dish to bring you back to the outdoor grill. It's simple, light and delicious served warm or at room temperature. Tuna is one of the easiest fish to grill – it holds together and cooks really quickly. Ask for Marine Stewardship Council-certified tuna so you can be sure it has been sustainably caught. Serve with some roasted potatoes and salad for a complete meal.

Ingredients

600-800g MSC-certified yellowfin tuna steaks
½ bunch thyme
2 minced garlic cloves
70g finely diced celery
40ml extra virgin olive oil
300g cherry tomatoes
1 tsp Calabrian chilli paste*
50g black olives (pits removed)
35g rinsed salted capers
25g lightly toasted pinenuts
1 tsp sugar (optional)
2 tsp red wine vinegar (optional)
1 bunch parsley, picked and leaves roughly chopped

Method

Step 1
Season the tuna with salt and pepper and picked thyme leaves and set aside at room temperature. Preheat the grill or grill pan to high heat for about 10-20 minutes before you want to cook.
Step 2
To make the salsa, saute the garlic and celery in the olive oil with a pinch of salt to soften. Add the tomatoes and chilli and allow that to soften without turning into sauce. Add the olives, capers and pinenuts and allow that to cook for a couple minutes to allow the flavours to meld together. Taste it at this point. Depending on the tomatoes, it may need sugar and/or vinegar. Adjust to your liking. This is meant to be a highly seasoned and punchy garnish.
Step 3
When the grill is good and hot, drizzle the tuna with a small amount of olive oil just to coat the steaks, and sear for one to two minutes on each side for rare-medium/rare. Cook it longer if you prefer it more cooked but lean tuna is best just seared.
Step 4
Remove from grill and serve warm or at room temperature with warm tomato salsa and a sprinkle of chopped parsley.