Pan-fried tuna with salsa

The colour contrast of this tuna looks beautiful on the plate. The outside is cooked and full of flavour, while the inside remains pink, moist and succulent. Served warm, this would go to perfection with olive, sun-dried tomato and caper salsa.

• serves

  4

Ingredients

4 x 150-175g (5–6oz) tuna fillets

Salt and ground pepper

2 tbsp olive oil

Olive, sun-dried tomato and caper salsa

100g (3 1⁄2oz) pitted black olives

150g (5oz) pitted green olives

4 tbsp chopped sun-dried tomatoes

1 tbsp capers

2 cloves of garlic, peeled, crushed or finely grated

8 basil leaves, torn

100ml (3 1⁄2fl oz) extra-virgin olive oil

Instructions

To make the salsa, place all the ingredients apart from the oil in a food processor and whiz for a few seconds, leaving it still slightly chunky. Pour in the olive oil and whiz for a few seconds until combined.

This will keep, covered, in the fridge for a couple of weeks. Let it come back up to room temperature before serving.

Place a large frying pan or griddle pan on a high heat and allow it to get very hot. Brush each side of the tuna fillets with the olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

Place on the pan and cook for 2-3 minutes on each side – the centre should still be pink.

Take off the heat and leave to sit for a few minutes before serving.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.