Around the world in 80 dishes No. 60: Tuna with red onion, tomato and sweet vinegar

Ingredients to serve 4

Sam,Sam Clark
Thursday 18 August 2011 00:00 BST
Comments

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

6 tablespoons olive oil
2 garlic cloves, cut into fine matchsticks
3 red onions (about 400g), sliced into 5-10mm wedges along the grain of the onion
4 fresh bay leaves
600g skinless fresh tuna loin or monkfish, cut in 3cm cubes
2 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano
350g cherry tomatoes, blanched, peeled, quartered and seeded
300g drained cooked judion beans (150g dry weight), or use cooked butter beans or cannellini beans
1 tablespoon sweet red wine vinegar, such as Forum Cabernet Sauvignon (or any good red wine vinegar with a pinch of sugar)

Method

On the "hots" section of the restaurant, this is probably the chefs' most popular dish to cook. The onions should not be too soft or have lost too much colour, the tuna should be cooked to perfection, and the tomatoes heated just enough to release a little juice without turning to a mush. A good splash of vinegar lifts the whole plate, without being dominant. The result is almost like a warm salad.

Heat 4 tablespoons of the oil in a medium saucepan over a low heat and fry the garlic till crisp and golden brown (take care not to let it burn). Remove the garlic with a slotted spoon and set aside. Add the onions and bay leaves to the still-hot pan with a good pinch of salt and increase the heat to medium. Cook for 15 minutes, stirring often, until the onions are softened and starting to brown. Set aside.

Minutes before you are ready to serve, place a very wide pan over a high heat until smoking. Season the tuna with salt and pepper. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil to the pan and sear the tuna briskly on 2 sides – they will only need about a minute per side. Add the cooked onions, half the oregano, the tomatoes, the beans and the vinegar and sauté for a minute more, until everything is warmed through (the tuna should be quite pink in the middle).

Transfer to a serving dish, sprinkle over the remaining oregano and the crispy garlic and serve immediately.

From 'Moro East' by Sam & Sam Clark (Ebury Press, £17.50)

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in