Executive Chef Christian Graves
Jsix Restaurant
616 J St., downtown
619/531-8744 www.jsixrestaurant.com
Grilled Albacore Tuna in Olive Oil
Serves 4
Executive Chef Christian Graves says that his Grilled Albacore Tuna is a great summer dish — either on its own with crusty bread or accompanied by a bowl of pasta, risotto or salad greens. The best part? Your guests will think you’re a gourmet chef and only you will know how easy it was to prepare.
Ingredients
4 6-ounce pieces of albacore tuna
Salt and pepper to taste
1 pint of cherry tomatoes
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup thinly sliced yellow summer squash
1/2 cup thinly sliced zucchini
1/4 cup sliced fennel bulb
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
1 tablespoon chopped thyme
1 tablespoon dry white wine
1 teaspoon fennel pollen*
2 cloves garlic sliced paper thin
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
4 basil leaves, torn
Season the tuna with a little olive oil, salt and pepper, and reserve until you are ready to cook.
Mix the tomatoes with the olive oil in a metal bowl that can be placed on the grill. Add squash, zucchini, fennel, lemon, thyme, wine, fennel pollen and garlic. Season with salt and pepper.
Let marinate in bowl for at least 10 minutes. When ready to cook, place the bowl with the vegetables on a warm part of the grill. (The chef uses the top rack on his home grill.)
Mark the tuna as you would a steak. Grill each side for about one minute for rare, longer for medium-rare or medium.
When the pieces are done place them in the bowl of oil and vegetables. Add the chopped parsley and basil. Stir with a spoon and mix thoroughly. Serve in a bowl or with one of the sides mentioned above.
Grilled Albacore Tuna in Olive Oil
