Author Notes
You will have a fair amount of mint oil left over, perfect for a lemon-y vinaigrette, the base of a punchy aioli, or drizzled plainly over those tomatoes.
—chris fischer
Ingredients
- Tuna with Mint Oil
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4
tuna steaks
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Salt
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1 cup
good olive oil
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3 sprigs
mint, separated from stem
- Pepperonata
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2
bell or other sweet peppers, grilled and peeeled
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2
small summer squash or zucchini
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1
perfectly ripe tomato
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4
bulbous green onions
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1 teaspoon
fresh oregano leaves
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1 cup
loosely packed parsley leaves
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1 cup
loosely packed basil leaves
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2 cups
mild olive oil
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1 1/2 cups
red wine vinegar
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Salt and pepper
Directions
- Tuna with Mint Oil
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Break the mint leaves in your hands and toss into a sauce pan with oil. Heat over a low heat until mint is aromatic.
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Season the tuna with salt and a drizzle of olive oil.
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Make a very hot bed of coals, brush grill, and wipe clean, then oil before placing the tuna on. Depending on the size of the piece you are using, the cooking may take as little as 30 seconds per side.
- Pepperonata
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Cut the peppers into long pieces. Place in a large mixing bowl. Very thinly slice the raw squash (this is easiest on a mandolin); add the squash to the peppers.
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Cut the tomato into chunks and add to the squash and peppers, stirring well to mix their juices. Cut the scallion bulb into quarters and pan roast in a dry skillet over high heat until golden brown and tender, about 5 minutes.
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Slice the scallion greens thinly and add them to the pan, cook until wilted, tossing with the browned bulbs, then add the mixture to pepperonata. Add the herbs, then dress with olive oil and vinegar, and season with salt and pepper. Mix well then set aside at room temperature for 3 hours before serving.
Chris Fischer grew up on Martha’s Vineyard, a member of the twelfth generation of his family to inhabit the island. After cooking in some of the leading kitchens in the world—Babbo in New York City, the American Academy in Rome, St. John Bread & Wine and The River Cafe in London—he returned back to Beetlebung. Just down the road from the farm, he currently serves as the chef at the Beach Plum Inn & Restaurant.
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