This recipe has long been a big favourite in the Cook house. Joe is a major league fan and has even cooked it at Uni. However it has never made it to the blog.
The eagle eyed of you will notice that a request from Suzy Price was posted yesterday because she had lost the scrap of paper I had written the recipe on many drunken moons ago.
So here it is; remember that things have moved on in the Tuna world since this was written so try to make sure the tuna is sustainable or serve it with another Asian influenced source of protein. If you are feeling particularly virtuous you could just add a handful of chopped rocket leaves and have it on its own.
Thinking about it has made me want to have it again.... 9.00 in the morning might be a bit early though.
Loin of Tuna with Spiced Lentils and Rocket
Serves 8
The best quality bluefin or yellowfin tuna must be used for this dish.
Ask your fishmonger to skin and clean the blood line, and to cut the tuna into 10 cm by 4 cm blocks: the fish will be sliced after cooking.
If you are serving this as a starter allow about 100g per person, or 170g as a main course.
ingredients
The lentil salsa can be made the day before
8 x 10 cm by 4 cm blocks of tuna (depending on serving size)
• 200 g Puy Lentils or small green lentils
• 1 med red onion chopped fine
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• ½ tsp cumin seeds
• 50 ml water
• 50ml soy sauce
• 50ml balsamic vinegar
• 1tbs sweet chilli sauce
• 2 tbs Tomato Ketchup
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
• 40g piece of fresh ginger, peeled and chopped very fine
• 50ml olive oil
• 2 medium sized mild red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped (or to taste
• 15g chopped fresh coriander
• Salt & Pepper
Method
Cook the lentils in salted water for 15–20 minutes or until they are tender. Drain and cool them.
Place the chillies and ginger in a pan with the onion, garlic, ground cumin and seeds, water and balsamic vinegar, and simmer with a lid on for a few minutes, stirring well so that all the flavours infuse.
Remove the mixture from the heat and pour it into a bowl with the drained lentils.
Add the soy sauce, ketchup and chilli sauce, stir well and gradually add the olive oil and chopped coriander.
Season with salt and pepper, cover and leave in the refrigerator overnight (if time allows).
To serve, season the pieces of tuna and fry in a very hot dry non-stick pan
Tuna is ideally eaten blue (almost raw) or rare, which will take only a few minutes.
Once cooked, remove the tuna from the pan and place on a plate for five minutes to ease carving.
Meanwhile, warm the lentils gently in a pan.
With a very sharp knife slice the tuna against the grain of the fish into three or four slices. Serve on the lentils.
The eagle eyed of you will notice that a request from Suzy Price was posted yesterday because she had lost the scrap of paper I had written the recipe on many drunken moons ago.
So here it is; remember that things have moved on in the Tuna world since this was written so try to make sure the tuna is sustainable or serve it with another Asian influenced source of protein. If you are feeling particularly virtuous you could just add a handful of chopped rocket leaves and have it on its own.
Thinking about it has made me want to have it again.... 9.00 in the morning might be a bit early though.
Loin of Tuna with Spiced Lentils and Rocket
Serves 8
The best quality bluefin or yellowfin tuna must be used for this dish.
Ask your fishmonger to skin and clean the blood line, and to cut the tuna into 10 cm by 4 cm blocks: the fish will be sliced after cooking.
If you are serving this as a starter allow about 100g per person, or 170g as a main course.
ingredients
The lentil salsa can be made the day before
8 x 10 cm by 4 cm blocks of tuna (depending on serving size)
• 200 g Puy Lentils or small green lentils
• 1 med red onion chopped fine
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• ½ tsp cumin seeds
• 50 ml water
• 50ml soy sauce
• 50ml balsamic vinegar
• 1tbs sweet chilli sauce
• 2 tbs Tomato Ketchup
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
• 40g piece of fresh ginger, peeled and chopped very fine
• 50ml olive oil
• 2 medium sized mild red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped (or to taste
• 15g chopped fresh coriander
• Salt & Pepper
Method
Cook the lentils in salted water for 15–20 minutes or until they are tender. Drain and cool them.
Place the chillies and ginger in a pan with the onion, garlic, ground cumin and seeds, water and balsamic vinegar, and simmer with a lid on for a few minutes, stirring well so that all the flavours infuse.
Remove the mixture from the heat and pour it into a bowl with the drained lentils.
Add the soy sauce, ketchup and chilli sauce, stir well and gradually add the olive oil and chopped coriander.
Season with salt and pepper, cover and leave in the refrigerator overnight (if time allows).
To serve, season the pieces of tuna and fry in a very hot dry non-stick pan
Tuna is ideally eaten blue (almost raw) or rare, which will take only a few minutes.
Once cooked, remove the tuna from the pan and place on a plate for five minutes to ease carving.
Meanwhile, warm the lentils gently in a pan.
With a very sharp knife slice the tuna against the grain of the fish into three or four slices. Serve on the lentils.
Comments