Tuna Steak With Red Pepper & Spring Onion Quinoa

I'm a massive tuna fan and nothing quite beats this recipe. I got it from Jamie Oliver's cookbook The Naked Chef (pg 95) and wanted to share it with you. It is the definition of delicious simplicity which I adore. The fresh coriander and basil seared encrusted tuna steak is perfectly complimented by the light, fluffy quinoa gains and the slight crunch from the red bell peppers.

Tuna has many health benefits; it is low in cholesterol and saturated fat and high in healthy omega-3-fatty acids. There are many types of tuna, blue-fin tuna is the best quality and mainly used for sushi dishes, then big-eye tuna is a close second best. However they're both very expensive, so yellow-fin tuna is a better alternative. You will generally find better tuna in fishmongers, however supermarkets can also get good batches in too, so you just have to keep your eyes peeled. Oliver explains in his cookbook the importance of getting the right tuna steak. He suggests that when buying fresh tuna, look for steaks that are dark and evenly coloured, and have a tight grain without sinews. Good quality fresh tuna should be served rare or very pink, but you can cook it longer if you prefer. 

Serves 2

Seared Encrusted Tuna Steak with Fresh Coriander and Basil

1/2 small dried chilli 

1/2 table spoon coriander seeds

1/4 clove of garlic

1/2 handful of fresh basil, finely chopped

1/2 handful fresh coriander, finely chopped

salt & freshly ground black pepper

juice of 1 lemon

2 tuna steaks, 225-285g/8-10oz each, about 2cm or 3/4 inch thick

Red Pepper & Spring Onion Quinoa

100g quinoa

2 cups water

1/2 red bell pepper, diced

3 spring onions, chopped

salt & pepper to taste

Method

- Add 2 cups of water to the quinoa in a pan and bring to boil. Then simmer for 12 minutes. 

-  Whilst the quinoa is simmering, in a pestle & mortar, coarsely grind the chile with the coriander seeds. Add the garlic and mash to a paste. Stir in the basil, coriander and lemon juice. Season the herb paste with salt and pepper.

- Lightly brush a grill pan with vegetable oil and set it over moderately high heat until very hot but not smoking. Season the tuna steaks with salt and pepper and rub the herb paste all over both sides. 

- After the quinoa has been simmering for 12 minutes, add the diced red bell peppers, seasoning & chopped spring onions. Pick up the tuna steaks and you'll notice that not all of the paste will stick to the tuna, but that is fine as you can also add some of it to the quinoa. Put the tuna back onto the plate. Stir the quinoa for a further 2 minutes then serve onto a plate because the tuna only takes 2 minutes max to cook so, you can just plate it up straight away.

- Sear the tuna steaks for 40-60 seconds per side for rare or until cooked to your desired taste and put straight onto the quinoa. 

Top tip: try not to leave the tuna in the pan whilst fiddling around with the quinoa as it'll overcook. As said above, it's best to serve up the quinoa before the steaks are cooked so there is no fuss and you can plate up straight away. 

Enjoy!