Seared Tuna with Black Olives and Tomato-Basil Sauce
Some combinations just can’t be improved. Tomatoes, basil, and tuna fall into this category. Chef Gille grills the tuna with a little thyme, then covers it with tuna-basil sauce with black olives. Note that he turns the tuna frequently and cooks it in 1-minute time blocks, a technique which cooks the outside but prevents heat from penetrating deep into the interior of the tuna.
Ingredients
- Tomato-Basil Sauce
- Olive Oil - 1/4 cup
- Unsalted Butter - 4 tablespoons
- Onions - 1/2 cup, chopped
- Garlic - 1 tablespoon, chopped
- Fresh Tomatoes - 5 to 6, peeled, seeded, and diced (3 cups diced tomatoes)
- Thyme Sprigs - 1
- Fresh basil - 2 tablespoons, chopped
- Black Olives - 1/2 cup, pitted and sliced
- Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
- Tuna Fillets - six, 8-ounce
- Olive Oil - 1/2 cup
- Thyme Sprigs - 1, stemmed and chopped
- Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
- Parsley - 1 cup, chopped
Instructions
To prepare the sauce: Heat the oil and butter in a large skillet over high heat. When the oil mixture is hot, add the onion, garlic, and tomatoes and cook for 1 minute. Reduce the heat to medium-high and add the thyme and basil. Cook until most of the liquid has evaporated, about 12 minutes, until thick enough to hold its shape in a spoon. Stir in the olives. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside; keep warm.
To cook the tuna: Light a charcoal grill or gas grill. When the coals are hot, put the cooking grill in place and let it heat. Brush the tuna with olive oil. Sprinkle thyme, salt, and pepper on both sides of each fillet. Sear the fillets on the grill for 30 seconds, then turn 45 degrees and sear for 30 to 45 seconds longer, making grill marks. Turn and cook for 1 minute. Turn and grill for 1 minute on the first side, then turn and cook one more minute on the second side, for a total of 4 minutes. Set aside on a plate.
To serve: Place a tuna fillet in the center of each warmed serving plate. Cover with tomato-basil sauce. Sprinkle with chopped parsley.
