The recipe, Fresh Tuna with Caramelized Onions {Tonno con Cipolle Caramellate}, is an easy fish dish and by adding the caramelized onions simmered in vermouth it gives the seafood that special occasion taste.
Fresh tuna is most frequently sold as steaks and it is the most “beef-like” of all fish due to its deep red color when raw.
Fresh tuna is a very healthy fish — low in calories and fat. To add more flavor to it, we do like my mamma used to do – add onions to it. Sometimes when she made fish, potatoes or vegetable she would make cipolle fritte (fried onions). These onions were sauteed in olive oil, not deep fried, until they had some dark crunchy spots. They were delicious. . . . they added so much flavor to the food. . . . simple ingredients prepared in an uncomplicated manner.
I always marveled at my mamma’s ability to slice, dice and wield her knives like the most proficient of chef. My Honey is like that. I always said that if we decided to attend the CIA ( Culinary Institute of America) not the other CIA he’d progress to other classes while I’d be stuck in knifes. 🙂 Sometimes when I’ve got lots of cutting and dicing to do — he takes over. It takes him half the time that it takes me.
It’s so very important not to overcook tuna– if you do it will turn out very dry. You want it pink or red on the inside — not a dull grey. If it reaches the grey point you might as well use it for tuna salad because it will need the additional moisture of mayo and mustard just so you can swallow it.
When we cook tuna we sear both sides on high heat. This gives the outside a nice color while the inside is medium-rare to rare. We know many gag at the thought of rare or medium-rare, but just don’t peek — it’s so mild and delicious at the medium-rare to rare stage. Trust us!
The Fresh Tuna with Caramelized Onions comes together in no time at all. You’ll want to have everything else done ahead of time. Once the fresh tuna is done cooking . . .
. . . serve it immediately.
In the meantime I’ll keep practicing my knife skills . . .
. . . Finché si vive, sempre s’impara { As long as you live, you always learn}.
Fresh Tuna with Caramelized Onions (Tonno con Cipolle Caramellate)
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 2 medium onions thinly sliced
- 3 black peppercorns
- 1/2 bay leaf
- 1/2 cup dry Vermouth or dry white wine*
- 2 6 to 8-oz. tuna steaks -- remove the steaks from the refrigerator about 30 minutes prior to cooking. Salt and pepper both sides before putting them in skillet.
Instructions
- Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat until hot. Add onions; cook about 15 minutes or until onions are golden brown, stirring occasionally. Don't let them get too dark -- turn down heat if necessary.
- Add peppercorns, bay leaf and wine. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Remove onions from skillet and put in a dish to keep warm. Add the butter to the skillet and increase heat to high. Add tuna steaks; cook about 3 minutes or until browned on both sides. Put the onions back into the skillet next to the tuna. Reduce the heat to medium; cook an additional minute or two. Take care that the tuna does not overcook -- it will keep cooking even with the heat off. Remove bay leaf.
- Immediately serve the tuna with the onions.
Notes
- * If you don't like wine you may use chicken broth.
- Adapted from a Pillsbury "Just for two" recipe.
Nutrition
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