A Jamie Oliver recipe - sharp, fresh, light and delicious. And quick too
Ingredients for 2/4
• 2/4 cloves of garlic
• 1/2 large fresh tuna steaks (c. 175 gms per person)
• 300/600g ripe red and yellow cherry tomatoes
• one/two handfuls of black olives
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• one/two small bunch of fresh basil
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 lemon
• olive oil
• 4/8 anchovies (or a good splash of soy sauce if no anchovies available)
Method
Put a large frying pan over a high heat • Peel and finely slice your garlic • Halve your tomatoes and cut any larger ones into quarters • If olives are stones in, press down firmly on them using the palm of your hand so they break open, and discard the stones • Pick the basil leaves off the stalks and put the smaller ones to one side for serving • Halve your lemon
Cook your tuna. Season your tuna steak with salt and pepper and sprinkle over the oregano • Put a lug of olive oil in the hotpan, followed by the tuna steaks • Cook for 1 minute on each side, then remove to a warm plate •
Put the pan back on the heat with a little more olive oil • Add the garlic and olives and cook for 1 minute, then add the anchovies (or soy sauce) and tomatoes • Squeeze in the juice from one half of your lemon • Cook for 1 minute, stirring every so often • Just before you take the pan off the heat, throw in most of your whole basil leaves, tearing up any larger ones • Squeeze in the juice from the remaining lemon half, toss everything together and season to taste with salt (or soy) and pepper
To serve your tuna: Divide the sauce between your plates • Slice up your tuna steaks into 2cm thick pieces and lay over the top Sprinkle with the remaining basil leaves and serve with some lovely crusty bread and fresh salad.
Alternatively, on a bed of greens and ladle on the sauce and place tuna, lemon slices and basil leaves on top. Serve with warm boiled small potatoes dressed with olive oil and balsamic vinegar.
