Rick says "Tuna has an open texture and so heat penetrates fast and it cooks quickly. The steaks in this recipe need just one minute on each side if your cast-iron griddle or barbecue is at the correct temperature. A dish of classic simplicity. There are worries about tuna stocks, but not in every part of the world; in Cornwall in the summer there is an abundance of albacore, which is excellent in this dish."
Alternative fish: Arctic char, ocean trout, sable fish (black cod), salmon, sea trout
4 x 200g thick tuna loin steaks
Olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the salsa verde
3 tbsp flat-leaf parsley leaves
1 tbsp mint leaves
3 tbsp capers, drained6 anchovy fillets in oil, drained
1 garlic clove
1 tsp Dijon mustard
Juice of ½ lemon
125ml extra virgin olive oil
½ tsp salt
Chop the parsley, mint, capers, anchovy fillets and garlic together by hand on a board (if you prefer to chop them in a food processor, don't run it for long as you want the sauce to have plenty of rugged texture). Scoop them into a bowl and stir in the mustard, lemon juice, olive oil and salt.
Brush the tuna steaks on both sides with oil and season well. Place the cast-iron griddle over a high heat and leave it to get smoking hot, then drizzle it with a little oil. Cook the tuna steaks for 1 minute on each side until nicely striped from the griddle but still pink and juicy in the centre. Serve at once with salsa verde spooned on top.
