Basque-style yellowfin tuna with stewed peppers, tomatoes, and onions

Ingredients

• 800 g fresh yellowfin tuna (steaks, 6 to 7 oz / 180 to 200 g each)
• 300 g yellow onions
• 200 g red bell peppers
• 200 g green bell peppers
• 500 g ripe tomatoes (such as Roma or beefsteak)
• 4 cloves garlic cloves
• 5 g piment d'Espelette (or sweet paprika plus a pinch of cayenne)
• 60 ml extra-virgin olive oil
• 100 ml dry white wine (such as dry Jurançon or any dry Basque white wine)
• 2 leaves bay leaves
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme sprigs
• to taste fine salt
• to taste ground black pepper

Method

1. Prepare the vegetables: peel and thinly slice the onions. Wash the bell peppers, cut them in half, discard the stems, seeds, and white ribs, then cut them into thin strips. Peel the tomatoes: score an X on the bottom of each, blanch in boiling water for 30 seconds, plunge into cold water, slip off the skins, seed, and coarsely chop. Finely chop the garlic cloves.
2. In a large Dutch oven or wide skillet, pour in part of the olive oil. Heat over medium heat (5/10). Add the sliced onions and a pinch of fine salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent and just beginning to turn golden (about 8 minutes).
3. Add the red and green bell pepper strips. Stir, cover, and cook over low heat (3/10) for 10 minutes, stirring regularly, until the peppers soften and release their juices.
4. Stir in the chopped garlic, chopped tomatoes, white wine, piment d'Espelette, thyme sprigs, and bay leaves. Season with fine salt and ground black pepper. Increase the heat to medium-low (4/10) and simmer uncovered for 20 to 25 minutes, stirring occasionally. The sauce should reduce and become thick, almost candied, coating the back of a spoon. Taste and adjust seasoning.
5. Meanwhile, prepare the yellowfin tuna: take the steaks out of the refrigerator 15 minutes before cooking. Pat dry with paper towels. Season both sides with fine salt and dust with a pinch of piment d'Espelette.
6. In a large nonstick skillet, heat the remaining olive oil over high heat (8/10). When the oil shimmers and begins to smoke very lightly, add the tuna steaks. Sear for exactly 2 minutes without moving them to develop a golden crust. Gently flip and cook the other side for 1 minute and 30 seconds for medium-rare (or 2 minutes for more well done). The tuna should feel firm to the touch but still springy under light pressure.
7. Transfer the tuna steaks to the Dutch oven with the stewed vegetables, nestling them gently into the sauce. Simmer over very low heat (2/10) for 4 to 5 minutes, spooning the sauce over the fish occasionally to gently finish cooking.
8. Plate and serve: remove the bay leaves and thyme sprigs from the sauce, then place a tuna steak in each shallow bowl. Generously spoon the stewed vegetables on top and serve piping hot.

Nutrition

Per serving

Energy

509 kcal

Protein

61.69 g

Carbohydrate

19.68 g

Fat

17.68 g

Fibre

5.46 g

Calcium

40.43 mg

Iron

2.68 mg

Magnesium

99.1 mg