Seared Tuna With ‘Salsa Rosso’ & Basil Aioli
The beauty of this dish is in its simplicity –This is my simple raw version of ‘Salsa Rosso’ – the classic Italian sauce that simply translates as ‘red sauce’. Its great with most fish, calamari or even chicken – I often add a spoonful into salads to create an extra crunchy burst of flavour. The Basil sauce compliments the salsa brilliantly balancing the richness of Tuna making this an ideal lunch on a hot day.
Prep Time 20-25 Minutes
Cook Time 3-4 Minutes
Servings4 As a main Course
Ingredients
- Tuna Steaks x 4 @ approx. 180-200g each
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 x Lemon
- Himalayan Pink Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper.
- For the Salsa Rosso:
- Red onion x 1 – finely diced
- Red Capsicum x 1 – finely diced
- Tomatoes x 2 – skinned, flesh chopped
- Cherry Tomatoes mixed x 8 – cut into ¼‘s
- Garlic x 1 clove – finely minced
- Red chili x ½ – finely chopped
- Oreegano x 2 sprigs – leaves stripped from stalk and finely chopped
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil x 3 Tablespoons
- Best quality Red wine vinegar x 1 Tablespoon
- Himalayan Pink Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper
- For the Basil Aioli:
- Free Range Egg x 1
- Dijon Mustard x 1 Tablespoon
- Goan Coconut Vinegar x 1 Tablespoon
- Lemont – juice of one
- Garlic Cloves x 4cloves, crushed
- Basil – small handful, picked and washed
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil – 150ml
- Pinch of Salt
Notes
Special Tools/Utensils:
- Hand Blender
- Griddle Pan
Method:
To makle the Salsa Rosso:
Simply mix together all the ingredients, season with salt and pepper, taste for seasoning and balance and serve.
For the Aioli:
1. Boil the egg in a small saucepan for 6 minutes from coming to a boil. Remove with a slotted spoon and rinse until cool enough to peel.
2.Place in a blender with all the other ingredients except the oil and basil.
3.Blend on a low speed and slowly start adding the olive oil with the blender running. Once the oil is incorporated, stop the blender, add the basil and blend at high speed for 1 minute.
For the Tuna and putting it all together:
1. the Tuna from the fridge at least 15 minutes before you intend to cook it. Rub with the Olive Oil and season with salt and pepper.
2. Pre-warm the griddle pan, then sear each steak for approximately 2 minutes on either side.
3. Squeeze the lemon juice over the steaks and cut each in half, allowing to rest for two minutes before serving.
4. Place the Salsa Rossa in the centre of four plates, arrange the cut Tuna steaks on each and plaace a dollop of the.
Chef Profile
Stefan Marais
Stefan hails from Cape Town, South Africa and has been involved with food his whole life. He grew up in a small boutique hotel being run by his parents before heading to the UK where he started his training as a chef in Devon and London. Stefan, known as ‘Stef’ to friends and regulars alike returned to Cape Town and honed his skills at various establishments, ranging from simple bistros to fine dining restaurants. He eventually settled as the group executive chef for the ‘Societi’ group of restaurants and chef patron at ‘the Brasserie’. Seeking to broaden his horizons and share his passions, he started his own hospitality consultancy. Stef extended his service to India and headed to Goa, where he ran ‘Go with the Flow’ for three seasons while continuing with consulting work in the Middle East and Africa. Stefan relocated to Qatar in 2019, where he oversees the food operations at an organic farm while still offering broad based hospitality consulting services.. Stef has been honoured by the WWF for his contribution to promoting sustainable fishing practices and his time in Goa saw him walk away with two separate ‘Chef of the year’ accolades. Amongst others, Stef has had recipes and features in GQ, Cosmopolitan, and House & Leisure magazines while also appearing regularly on South African Television shows. He has a light touch and focuses on colourful, healthy dishes that are bold in flavor.