Tuna Steak Provençal

Tuna is found only in warm waters, where it has been fished for centuries. Because of its size (a bluefin can weigh 1,000 pounds or more) tuna has always been considered a prize catch. Throughout the Mediterranean, beginning in about the 5th century, the bounty of the sea provided an almost inexhaustible supply of tuna. The Greeks learned to catch them with madragues, which literally translated means “enclosure for catching tuna.” With the coming of international shipping and the arrival of oil tankers, the once teeming sea provides less and less tuna, although Greeks and Italians still have annual festivals celebrating the catch.

I revel in the new appreciation of the beautiful, rich meat-like flavor of tuna. In searching for recipe inspirations for this article, I found that in ancient Greece a famous cook and gastronome, Archetratus, had a well-loved recipe for bonito (a small tuna) wrapped in fig leaves and cooked over an open fire until just barely done. I also found that the great cooks of this period were judged by their ability to prepare fish, particularly tuna. It seems that, at least with tuna, what goes around comes around, as we now barely cook tuna to highlight its color and intense flavor, and great cooks are, once again, measured by their touch with preparing fish.

In Japan, where the Tokyo fish market is an amazing attraction as tourists stand wide-eyed at the enormous prices paid for premium fish, tuna remains the king. The Japanese love of tuna flakes compel their buyers to go all over the world searching for the best. In America, we have seen a rapid escalation in the price of premium tuna as buyers vie for the firm, pink flesh of the yellow fin and small blue fin and the slightly oily, red flesh of the large blue fin that signifies a great tuna. And, with our appreciation of tuna growing quicker than the seas can provide, the price will continue to escalate, too.

Although much premium tuna is used raw in sushi bars and restaurants, a goodly amount is served just barely cooked. Nouvelle cuisine has been blamed for that, but tuna really does need a careful hand as it becomes dry and tasteless very quickly when cooked too much. From my perspective, cooked tuna requires some excellent oil and generous seasoning to stand up to its meatiness. If it is to be cooked, through, this should be done with addition of some type of sauce to enfold the fish and keep it moist. It can be prepared in almost any style, with grilling and oven-searing two of the most satisfactory methods.

When purchasing tuna, blue fin is always the best, but it is increasingly difficult to find, especially for the home cook, as restaurants and sushi places usually get first choice. However, there is still great tuna to be had at fish stores and specialty markets. Always look for firm flesh, clean, clear color, and no dark red marks that would indicate bruising. I generally remove any dark red flesh as it has a bit stronger flavor.

We have gotten so used to eating raw or barely cooked tuna with just a hint of seasoning that I thought it might be interesting to go back to a more traditional recipe that calls for tuna be cooked all the way through and served with a very savory sauce. This is a very Mediterranean-style recipe that works well, in part because the meaty tuna more that holds its own against the acid and herb scent flavors of the sauce.

[B]Ingredients: [/B] 1/4 cup olive oil
1 cup finely diced onions
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound very ripe tomatoes, peeled, cored, seeded and diced
2 cups white wine
3 tablespoons chopped canned anchovy fillets
2 chopped capers
6 7-oz tuna steaks
coarse salt & freshly ground black pepper
1 stick unsalted butter, cut into pieces
juice of 1 lemon
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the onions and garlic and sauté them for 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes and cook them, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes. Stir in the white wine and bring the mixture to a boil. Boil for about 5 minutes, or until the wine has reduced by one-half. Stir in the anchovies and capers. Remove from heat and tent lightly with aluminum foil to keep warm.

Heat remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Season the tuna with salt and pepper and place it into the hot pan. Sear it for about 3 minutes per side, or until it is nicely browned and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of the fish reads 130 degrees. Using a spatula, lift the tuna from the hot pan to a serving platter and set it aside. Tent lightly with aluminum foil to keep it warm.

Return the tomato mixture to medium heat. When it is hot, whisk in the butter and stir to emulsify the mixture. Add the lemon juice, and then the basil and parsley. Uncover the tuna and pour the pan sauce over the top of it. Serve it, garnished with additional basil and parsley, if desired.

[I]David Spitzer is the executive chef of the Fiesta Resort and Spa Saipan.[/I]