Denise says:
This recipe also works well with salmon, red mullet and chicken. The time required to cook the tuna will vary according to the thickness and weight of the fish so use my times only as a guide and the sauce will cheer up any chicken salad or turkey dish.
Tuna is great cooked on the BBQ and is ideal for a large crowd as it cooks very quickly. Fresh tuna is the nearest to steak in terms of flavour and texture than any other fish. It is popular because of this especially amongst non-fish lovers. It does not smell fishy, and has no small bones, which makes it easy to eat.
You can vary the vegetables to include courgettes, sweet potato or even butternut squash for a different combination.
Prep time: 15 Minutes plus 1 hr. marinating
Cooking Time: 30 Minutes
Serves 4
Ingredients:
4 170g – 200g (5 oz – 6 oz) fresh tuna steaksOlive oil – to marinade the tuna
Juice of 1 lime – marinade
Vegetable Kebabs
1 kg (2.2 lb) new potatoes – halved
1 aubergine – Cut in large cubes
1 red onion – peeled in segments
1 red pepper –cored and cut in to large cubes
2 cherry tomatoes
8 wooden kebab sticks
Herb Dressing
6 tbspn. fresh basil
3 tbspn. fresh mint
1 clove of garlic
150 ml (1/4 pt) olive oil
Salt and pepper - to taste
Garnish
1 lime – cut into wedges
Method
1)For the tuna, marinade it in olive oil and lime juice for a minimum of 1 hour.2)For the herb dressing, process the basil, mint and garlic in a food processor until chopped.
3)With the motor running, gradually add the olive oil until an emulsion forms. Season to taste. Set aside and refrigerate until ready to use.
This can be made up to 2 days in advance and will keep for 4 days.
4)Heat a medium sized saucepan with water and cook the halved potatoes until just soft. Drain and set aside.
5)Cook the potatoes in boiling water until just soft. Drain and set aside.
6)Thread the prepared vegetables on the soaked kebab sticks so that they are in a colourful order. Make 2 kebabs per person.
7)Place the kebabs on a hot BBQ and cook for about 10 minutes or until the vegetables start to brown.
8)Cook the tuna for 2-3 minutes on one side, then turn it over and complete the cooking for an additional 1-2 minutes.
To serve the stylish way: Place the tuna and kebabs on a white plate. Pour the dressing over the fish and garnish with wedges of lime.
Tuna is best eaten slightly undercooked so that it is still pink inside. Overcooked it tastes leathery and hard rather like liver.