Medium
By Peter Gordon
Published 2005
Before I even begin to give you this recipe I have to deliver a little rant. Please make sure the tuna you use here is from a reliable and reputable source. Tuna is, as environmentalists have said, the rhinoceros of the fish world. By that, they mean the fish is becoming hunted beyond its own ability to reproduce and survive. So, if you canât tell where the tuna youâre about to buy comes from, then please make this using another species of fish, such as salmon, sea trout, mackerel or grey mullet. Also make sure itâs not been caught in a drag-net, as drag-nets catch not just the tuna theyâre supposedly intended for, but also dolphins, sea turtles and all manner of other sea creatures. Ask your fishmonger â they should know.
That little plea over... this salad takes as its spiritual grandmother salade niçoise, using those lovely small black niçoise olives. Quinoa is an ancient Inca grain, full of all the worldâs goodness. Almost forgotten until recently, it has begun to appear again in health food shops and on restaurant menus.
Cut the tomatoes across into slices about 1 cm thick and brush each with a little of the oil. Heat a heavy pan and, when itâs smoking, add the tomatoes in a single layer and cook over a high heat to blacken a little, around 1½â2 minutes. Using a heatproof spatula, remove the slices to a plate and continue to cook the remaining slices. If any bits stick to the pan, scrape them off and wipe the pan. Once all the tomatoes are cooked, scatter the basil over them and drizzle with
Bring
Brush the tuna with
Make the chopped egg and parsley dressing, place the eggs in a pan of boiling water and boil for 5 minutes, then drain and place in a bowl of iced water to cool them completely. Shell the eggs, then roughly chop or grate them and place in a bowl with the parsley, capers- and the olive oil.
Heat the pan or grill again and, when hot, place the tuna in, or under, it and cook briefly. Tuna is best served rare to medium-rare â any more and it can become dry. However, if you like your fish overcooked and awful then, by all means, cook it so. Just donât say I told you to. For a steak thatâs
Place the olives, rocket and quinoa in a large bowl, lightly season, add the remaining olive oil and gently mix. Lay the tomato slices on 4 plates and divide the rocket salad on top of that, then top with a piece of grilled tuna. Mix the lemon juice into the egg dressing and spoon this over as you serve it.
Š 2005 Peter Gordon. All rights reserved.