Recipe - Ahi Tuna Steaks with Caponata

Fish and Shellfish

Ahi Tuna Steaks with Caponata

Ingredients:

AGRODOLCE SAUCE INGREDIENTS
¾ cup of Esprit du Sel Spiced Peppers Grey Sea Salt Blend with Organic Peppers
3 tablespoons tomato puree
2 tablespoons sugar
CAPONATA INGREDIENTS
½ cup + 2 tablespoons Melchiorri L'Intenditore D.O.P. Umbria Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 onions, thinly sliced
2 celery ribs, strings removed
2 Italian eggplants
½ cup of olives Nocellara or green pitted olives, chopped
4 tablespoons of capers in brine or vinegar, drained
6 oven-roasted tomatoes, see below
TUNA INGREDIENTS
4 Ahi tuna steaks, 1 inch thick, 6 oz each
Spiced Pepper grey sea salt Esprit du Sel Spiced Peppers Grey Sea Salt Blend with Organic Peppers
Mandranova Nocellara Extra Virgin Olive Oil
A handful of fresh basil leaves

Preparation:

Time: 1 hour

Yield: 4 SERVINGS

MAKE the AGRODOLCE SAUCE.
In a saucepan, bring the vinegar, tomato puree and sugar to boil, reduce over low heat until the liquid turns slightly syrupy. Leave to cool.
MAKE the CAPONATA.
Sauté the onions in a tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat until soft. As the onions soften, bring a small saucepan of lightly salted water to boil.
Chop celery into ¼ inch slices. Blanch them for 30 seconds, then refresh in ice water.
Cut the eggplant into ½ inch dice.
In the same pan that the onions were stewed, heat ½ cup “Nocellara” olive oil. Add the eggplant and fry until golden. Drain on paper towels.
Toss the celery, olives, capers, stewed onion and roasted tomato in a bowl with 4 tablespoons of the agrodolce sauce and a tablespoon or two of the olive oil from the pan.
Add eggplant to the bowl with the other ingredients. Taste. Add more of the agrodolce sauce as needed. The caponata can be made ahead and stored in the refrigerator. Warm before using.
MAKE the TUNA.
Season the tuna lightly on both sides with salt and pepper.
Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil almost to smoking in a non-stick or well-seasoned cast iron fry pan.
Add the tuna and sear, 1 minute per side for medium-rare. If necessary, sear two steaks at a time to avoid overcrowding the pan.
TO SERVE
Remove the steaks to 4 plates.
Drizzle with the Nocellara extra virgin olive oil and spoon the caponata over the fish.
Garnish with basil leaves and serve immediately.
OVEN ROASTED TOMATOES
Preheat the oven to 450 F°. Line a sheet pan with foil.
Quarter 6 plum tomatoes. Put them in a large bowl and toss them in 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, a pinch each of sea salt, sugar, ground black pepper and oregano.
Spread them on the sheet pan in a single layer. Roast until they begin to caramelize, about 30 minutes. These will keep in the refrigerator for 6-7 days.