Seared tuna with tomato, red pepper and chilli salsa
Try this quick griddled tuna recipe from Saturday Kitchen served with crispy courgette and an Italian-style salsa.
Ingredients
For the tomato, red pepper and chilli salsa
- 2 oxheart tomatoes
- 1 red chilli, finely chopped
- 1 jarred red pepper, grilled, deseeded and finely chopped
- 1 tsp chopped fresh marjoram
- 1 tbsp miniature capers in vinegar, finely chopped
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp white balsamic vinegar
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the courgette fritti
- 300g/10½oz ‘00’ flour
- 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 250ml/9fl oz warm water
- 1 egg white, whipped
- 4 medium courgettes, cut into matchsticks (see Recipe Tip)
- vegetable oil, for frying
- salt
To serve
- 2 x 160g/5½oz fresh tuna steaks
- olive oil, to rub
- sea salt
Method
To make the salsa, bring a large pan of water to the boil then add the oxheart tomatoes and blanch for 1 minute, then place in a bowl of cold water. Remove the skin then finely chop the flesh and add a good pinch of sea salt. Place the chopped tomatoes in a colander to drain the excess water, then transfer to a bowl.
Add the chilli, red pepper, marjoram and capers and mix everything together along with the extra virgin olive oil and white balsamic vinegar. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper and leave to one side.
To make a batter for the courgette fritti, place the ‘00’ flour into a large bowl. Make a well in the middle of the flour and pour the olive oil into the centre, then use a whisk to mix together. Slowly add the warm water and keep whisking until you have a mixture with the consistency of unwhipped double cream.
Add the whipped egg white and fold in carefully to retain some of the air. Transfer a large spoonful of batter to another bowl and mix with the courgette pieces.
Heat the vegetable oil in a large, tall-sided pan with a tight fitting lid to 180C. (CAUTION: hot oil can be dangerous. Do not leave unattended.) Fry the battered courgette pieces until golden and crispy, then sprinkle over some sea salt.
Meanwhile, rub the tuna steaks with olive oil and season with salt. Heat a griddle pan until hot then add the tuna steaks and cook for 2 minutes before turning over and cooking for a further 1 minute. Remove the griddle from the heat and leave to rest for 1 minute.
Plate up the tuna with the tomato salsa on top and the courgette fritti on the side.
Recipe Tips
To achieve the perfect matchsticks, cut the courgettes at an angle so you have oval-shaped slices, then place three pieces on top of each other and cut into matchsticks.
