Tuna with basil butter - Perfect supper

I woke up this morning with a need to create something a bit tasty for supper tonight. I was fed up with the constant rain and wanted something to lift the gloom. Tuna was my first choice. Lighter than a meat based meal and I can almost always pick up a great cut of it in town. After a quick scan on the net I found a recipe to fuel the imagination and set off for the shops to see what ingredients I could find. A short while later I returned with tuna, basil, fennel and some extra virgin olive oil.

A few hours later, after the chores were out of the way and we had enjoyed a couple of good 'afternoon' films to help occupy our time as the rain returned, I set about cooking supper. I seasoned two half inch thick tuna steaks and put them in individual ziplock bags with a cup of olive oil and some fresh basil leaves. These went into the sous vide at 43C for about 40 minutes. Meanwhile, I dug out my food processor and popped a good handful of basil, a couple of garlic cloves and about 50 grams of unsalted butter in.Once blended, I pitched the resulting mix into some grease proof paper and formed it into a cylinder and popped it into the freezer for a while to set a little. I now prepared the fennel bulb. I cut it into quarters and popped it into a pan of salted boiling water to soften. Once it was tender (after about 10 minutes) I drained it. Put the fennel core quarters to one side on some kitchen paper to dry a little. At this point I put a couple of cast iron skillets on the gas to heat to a good searing temperature. The remaining fennel was pureed using the Bamix.

I put a little groundnut oil in one skillet and caramelized the fennel cores. While this cooked I removed the tuna from the sous vide and opened the bags. The Tuna was placed in the very hot skillet to sear. I turned the tuna after a minute or so and then, once the other side was seared, I placed a good knob of the basil butter on each steak and served up.

The result was fantastic. A succulent tuna steak wit h the peppery basil butter with some fresh lemon rind to cut the butter was well balanced with the pureed fennel and the caramelized fennel heart. A little fresh lemon juice helped to cut the richness of the dish but it is a simple and filling recipe I will be repeating in the future.

A hard day needs a quick (but special) meal

Weekends seem to have become a period of toil lately. A few weeks of hard slog removing the old summer house and turning it into bite sized fire wood. Last weekend erecting the new summer house and then this weekend arrives with a damp patch on the ceiling. The shower pump has sprung a leak so I need to spend tomorrow clearing the attic so the plumber can fit a new one. Today we cleared up the back bedroom so the attic treasure horde can be moved there and found time to put another coat of preservative on the new summer house.

Now that the sun has set we are salving our aches and pains with a glass of bubbly while I plan the evening meal. We want something quick, easy but a little special as it is the weekend. In preparation I picked up a nice chunk of tuna.

 I have cut it into two thick steaks and have prepared a great rub I found on the web. I make it up in bulk as it is great on lamb, tuna and pork. The rub tub is empty so time for a new batch tonight. The recipe:

1/2 cup Fennel seeds

6 tbsp Coriander seed

2 tbsp White Pepper. 

Blitz for 30 seconds in the Bamix (you want it coarse ground)

The rub looks great and smells fantastic and will keep for a week or three in the fridge in a tightly sealed jar or container.

Next I add plenty of the rub to the tuna. Make sure you use plenty of rub. The natural moisture and protein on the tuna will grip it.

Now place it in a vacpac bag with a dash of olive oil before vacuuming, sealing and popping into a pre heated sous vide at 54C for 15 minutes.

While this cooks through I heat a cast iron skillet to a searing temperature. A steamer is loaded with some spinach, french beans and broccoli about 5 minutes before the tuna is ready for the next stage.



5 minutes have passed. The bag is quickly opened. A dash of groundnut oil into the very hot skillet (don't use olive oil or it will burn). In goes the tuna for about a minute each side just to sear the surface and toast the rub. Serve the vegetables. Take the tuna from the pan and slice into thick slices. Present and serve with a quick pinch of sea salt and black pepper and a dash of basil infused olive oil over the tune. 20 minutes and you have a great meal.

Service :)