Olive Oil Poached Tuna With Roasted Tomato Sauce Recipes

OLIVE OIL-POACHED TUNA

Steps:

• Let tuna rest at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes.
• Combine garlic, thyme, and red pepper flakes in a heavy skillet. Pour olive oil into skillet to reach a depth of 1 inch. Heat oil over medium heat until garlic and thyme begin to sizzle, 5 to 10 minutes.
• Place tuna gently in hot oil and reduce heat to low. Cook steaks in hot oil, spooning oil over the top of the steaks constantly, until fish is white and hot, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from heat, transfer steaks to a baking dish, and pour hot oil and herbs over the fish. Cool fish and oil to room temperature.
• Wrap baking dish tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate steaks for 24 hours. Remove fish from oil and sprinkle sea salt over the top.

OLIVE OIL POACHED TUNA INFUSED WITH THYME, LEMON, AND SHALLOTS

Steps:

• Season the tuna with salt and pepper and set aside. Combine the oil, thyme, lemon, garlic, red pepper and shallots in a large saucepot. Warm the oil over medium heat until it reaches 130 degrees F. Let the flavors steep for 10 minutes. Re-test the temperature, adjusting the heat, if necessary. Submerge the tuna in the olive oil poaching liquid and cook until it is firm and medium-rare, approximately 5 minutes.
• Remove the tuna from the oil. Slice each piece. Arrange the tuna medallions over stewed lentils accompanied by sauteed broccoli rabe. Serve seasoned with Fleur de Sel and moistened with the olive oil poaching liquid.
• Place the lentils in a pot. Add enough cold water to cover them by 2 inches. Season the water with salt then simmer the lentils over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until the lentils are chewy, about 15 minutes. Drain the lentils and reserve.
• Heat the olive oil in a medium pot, over medium-low flame. Add the shallots, garlic, crushed red pepper, and rosemary. Cook stirring frequently until the shallots and garlic are golden, about 10 minutes. Add the tomato puree and cook until it begins to concentrate, about 7 minutes. Then add the lentils. Stew the lentils in the sauce over a very low flame until they are fully tender but still holding their shape, about 10 minutes. Serve warm.

OLIVE OIL-POACHED ALBACORE TUNA

Steps:

• Season the tuna by sprinkling it with salt; set the tuna aside while you prepare the oil (this has the added benefit of taking the refrigerated chill off the tuna before cooking it.
• Choose a medium frying pan or large saucepan big enough to hold the fish in a single layer. Add enough oil to come about 1/2 inch up the pan.
• Add the garlic, peppercorns, bay leaf, orange or lemon zest, and chile (if using).
• Warm the oil over medium-low heat just until bubbles form on the sides of the pan. Add the tuna; use a spatula or kitchen tongs to gently lower each filet into the oil, taking care not to drop the fish in or splatter the hot oil.
• The oil should cover the tuna (if it doesn't follow the directions in parentheses). Adjust the heat to maintain those few bubbles on the sides of the pan. Gently simmer until the tuna's cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes for a 1 inch-thick piece of tuna (if the oil doesn't quite cover your filets, you may want to flip the fish over at the half-way point. While the fish cooks, set a cooling rack over a rimmed baking sheet or layers of papers towels; or simply line a plate of a few layers of paper towels.
• Use a spatula or slotted spoon to lift the tuna out of the oil and onto the prepared cooling rack or towels to drain. Serve the filets whole for diners to cut up themselves; slice them to serve; or, flake the filets into something that resembles canned tuna. * Look for line-caught Pacific albacore tuna as it is a well-managed and sustainable fishery . Also, albacore caught this way tend to have very low levels of mercury built up in their systems.

TUNA POACHED IN OLIVE OIL

Steps:

• Season tuna with salt. Stir 3 cups oil, the lemon zest, garlic, and thyme in a medium saucepan. Add tuna and more oil to cover tuna by 1/2 inch if needed. Set over medium-low heat. Cook, covered, until tuna is opaque, 30 to 40 minutes. Remove from heat; let cool completely. Tuna in oil can be refrigerated in an airtight container up to 3 days.
• To serve, remove tuna from cooking oil with tongs; transfer to paper towels to drain. Discard cooking oil. Flake into 2-inch pieces. Drizzle with oil; sprinkle with pepper. Serve with lemon and the tomato-olive salad. Garnish with thyme.

OLIVE OIL POACHED TUNA

Steps:

• For warm chick pea salad, heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a saute pan.
• Sweat roasted garlic, red onion to colour lightly, about 1 minute; add chick peas and toss to warm through.
• In the pot, roughly mash garlic and one third of chick peas.
• Increase heat to medium high, add chicken stock and let simmer, reducing slightly.
• Take off heat; toss in tomatoes, basil, lemon juice and zest.
• Dress with 3 tbsp infused poaching oil and season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside.
• For herb and olive salad, toss all ingredients together and season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside at room temperature.
• Prepare poaching oil, in a medium heavy bottomed pot, add olive oil, garlic, bay leaves, rosemary and peppercorns.
• Bring up to low simmer and take off heat. Let stand overnight, if possible.
• Using a thermometer, bring poaching oil up to 130 deg F in a medium heavy bottomed pot.
• Remove tuna from fridge, and leave at room temperature for at least 10 minutes. Season both sides well with salt and pepper.
• When oil reaches 130 deg F, gently place tuna steaks into pot. Leave tuna in oil off heat, for 7 - 8 minutes. (If steaks are thicker than 1 inch, leave in oil for another minute or two; if less, adjust accordingly.)
• When cooked, remove from oil, draining well.
• To make balsamic glaze, combine balsamic vinegar and honey in a small saucepot. Reduce over low heat until syrup consistency.
• To prepare tartare, combine all ingredients in a small glass or ceramic bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Finish with additional tsp of olive oil, if desired.
• To serve, tear leaves off endive and use to scoop up tartare

OLIVE OIL POACHED COD WITH TOMATO SAUCE, PINE NUTS AND HERBS

Steps:

• For the sauce: Add 1/4 cup olive oil and the garlic to a large Dutch oven over medium heat and cook until the garlic is aromatic, about 2 minutes. (Make sure not to overcook the garlic, as there should be no color.) Add the red pepper flakes, then the crushed tomatoes and the remaining 1/4 cup olive oil and bring to a simmer. Add the olives and capers and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens and the water reduces from the top, about 12 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, then add the rosemary sprigs and allow to steep.
• For the caramelized shallots: Meanwhile, heat the butter and oil in a 12-inch saute pan over medium-low heat. Add the shallots, sugar and salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the shallots are caramelized, 8 to 10 minutes. Set aside.
• For the cod: Heat the oil, garlic and basil in a 14-inch saute pan to 120 degrees F and cook until the garlic is golden brown and the basil has started to wilt. Discard the garlic and basil (they have done their job and seasoned the oil).
• Season both sides of the cod with salt. Gently place the cod fillets in the pan, making sure they are submerged, and poach until the fillets turn cloudy white and are firm to the touch with a slight bounce, about 8 to 9 minutes. Remove from the oil with a slotted spatula and drain on a paper towel-lined plate.
• For serving: Lightly toast the pine nuts in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Toss together with the basil, parsley, oil and a pinch of salt in a small bowl.
• Spoon the sauce onto a large platter and nestle the fish on top. Top each filet with a spoonful of caramelized shallots, then sprinkle the pine nut mixture over the fish.

SEARED TUNA, ROASTED TOMATOES & FENNEL WITH A OLIVE SAUCE

Steps:

• Sauce -- Start to prepare the sauce. In a large NOT non stick pan which you will be cooking the tuna in add the fennel seeds over medium and just toast a few minutes to get lightly toasted. No oil, just a dry pan and will only take a minute. Remove when toasted and just set to the side.
• Now if you don't have fennel seeds, don't panic. The dish will taste just fine. I just like that additional layer of flavor but don't worry and don't make a extra trip to the store just for them. They do however make a great additional to your spice cabinet.
• Tuna -- Remove tuna from the fridge to take some of the chill off. I like to cook mine more and room temperature. Prepare all your vegetables. For the fennel, remove the green parts and slice like a onion.
• Vegetables -- Roast your tomatoes and fennel in a 400 degree oven. On a cookie sheet covered with foil or parchment paper, lightly drizzle your tomatoes and fennel with olive oil, salt and pepper and roast 10 minutes, just until slightly brown and the tomatoes start to soften. Don't over cook you still want them fresh tasting.
• Tuna round II -- As the tomatoes and fennel cook, start your tuna. Season well with salt and pepper and in that same pan you toasted the fennel seeds heat on medium high heat and add 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Sear the tuna until it gets a nice crust on one side without moving. Should take 3-5 minutes depending on the thickness. Thinner cuts will take much less and you do not want to over cook it. Flip over and the second size will take even less time. You want it rare - medium rare, so I usually remove when rare. Set to the side and cover with foil as you make the sauce.
• Olive sauce -- in the pan that you cooked the tuna in, add the garlic and shallot and cook just a minute also on medium to medium high heat. You can add a little extra olive oil if necessary, but you shouldn't need any. Then add the white wine and red pepper flakes. Let cook another minute to reduce slightly. Then add the olives, lemon juice, zest, any additional salt and pepper if needed, but olives are salty so be careful. The last thing, stir in the fennel seeds and then just let simmer on medium for another minute just to slightly reduce. Remember, this is a thin sauce, not a gravy.
• Plate it up! If using a salad like I mentioned in the description, I would plate the salad, then top with the tuna. Top with a slice or two of the tomatoes and a few fennel slices. Then drizzle the olive sauce over the whole thing. ENJOY!

SPAGHETTI WITH OLIVE-OIL-POACHED TUNA IN TOMATO-FENNEL SAUCE

Steps:

• FOR THE TUNA
• Add the fennel seeds to a small sauté pan and bring to medium-high heat. (You need toasted fennel seeds for both the tuna and the sauce, so toss 2 tablespoons in the pan now and save a step later!) Toast the fennel seeds, shaking the pan frequently, until they are very aromatic and start to turn a brighter shade of green, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from the heat and grind the seeds in a spice grinder or crush with a mortar and pestle.
• Season the tuna belly with salt, red pepper, and half the ground fennel seeds (you're saving the other half for the sauce).
• Preheat the oven to 200°F.
• Put the tuna in a medium ovenproof saucepan and cover with olive oil. Toss in the garlic, bay leaves, and thyme bundle. Cover and put in the oven; cook for 1 hour. Remove and let cool to room temperature. Use immediately or refrigerate in an airtight container.
• FOR THE SAUCE AND PASTA
• Coat a large wide saucepan with olive oil and add the onions and fennel; season with salt and red pepper and bring to medium heat. Cook the veggies until soft and aromatic, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes.
• Add the tomatoes, the reserved tablespoon of toasted fennel seeds, and 1 cup water to the pan and season with salt. Bring to a boil (BTB) and reduce to a simmer (RTS); simmer for 30 minutes.
• Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook for 1 minute less than the instructions on the package suggest. Taste it: It should be toothsome with just a little nugget of hard pasta still in the center-this is al dente.
• Remove the tuna from the olive oil, break it up, and add it to the sauce.
• Drain the pasta and add it to the sauce; stir vigorously to combine. Add a drizzle of big fat finishing oil and serve garnished with fennel fronds.
• YOU SAY TOMATO, I SAY SAN MARZANO
• San Marzano tomatoes are, as the name suggests, from San Marzano, Italy, outside of Naples. Sweet and delicious, these canned tomatoes are naturally very low in acid. Sometimes you'll notice people add a pinch of sugar to tomatoes when making sauce-this is not to sweeten the sauce so much as to offset the acid in the tomatoes. When you're using San Marzano tomatoes, this isn't necessary because they're naturally super-sweet and low in acid. However, for this same reason, they need a lot of salt to bring out their best flavor . . . accept it and move on.
• San Marzano tomatoes are perfect for sauce, and they work beautifully with my favorite piece of kitchen equipment: the food mill. It's super-old school but I love using a food mill to purée tomatoes because it lets the seeds slip through, leaving all the big-money stuff up top. Remember, when you put your tomatoes through a food mill, be sure to scrape the pulp off the bottom to get every last bit of tomato-y goodness! This is the stuff that will help thicken the sauce, so you don't want to leave it behind. Got it?