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Grilled Tuna with Oregano

Of the treasures taken from the sea that surrounds Sicily, tuna is among the most prized. Sicilian cooks prepare tuna with care and respect, which usually means simply, as exemplified by these grilled tuna steaks. Aromatic wild oregano is found all over Sicily, and bouquets of the dried herb hang in almost every Sicilian home. When the tuna steaks come off the grill, they get a drizzle of virgin olive oil and a shake of the oregano bouquet—simply perfect.

Recipe information

  • Yield

    serves 6

Ingredients

3 or more plump garlic cloves, thinly sliced (2 tablespoons slices)
1 teaspoon coarse sea salt or kosher salt, plus more for finishing
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
6 tuna steaks, cut 1 1/2 inches thick, about 8 ounces each
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano

Recommended Equipment

A gas or charcoal grill, with a clean grill rack

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    For the marinade, stir the sliced garlic, salt, and pepper into the olive oil, and let sit for 30 minutes to an hour.

    Step 2

    Spoon off and reserve 2 tablespoons of the infused oil. Place the tuna steaks on a large platter, and pour the remaining marinade over, turning the steaks so both sides are coated. Marinate the tuna for 2 to 3 hours, flipping them over two or three times.

    Step 3

    Light your grill, and heat the rack over a medium flame or bed of charcoal. Drain the marinade from each piece of tuna, and lay it on the grill. Sear for about 2 minutes, and flip the steaks with a spatula.

    Step 4

    Grill the second side for 2 minutes, turn the steaks again, and check for doneness by slicing into a steak—the flesh should not be fully cooked. Remove to a platter where the fish will continue to cook off the grill.

    Step 5

    Stir the oregano into the remaining 2 tablespoons of garlic-infused oil, and immediately brush on top of the tuna. Sprinkle over it some coarse salt. Let the tuna rest for a minute before serving.

From Lidia's Italy by Lidia Matticchio Bastianich. Copyright (c) 2007 by Lidia Matticchio Bastianich. Published by Knopf. Lidia Bastianich hosts the hugely popular PBS show, "Lidia's Italian-American Kitchen" and owns restaurants in New York City, Kansas City, and Pittsburgh. Also the author of Lidia's Italian Table and Lidia's Italian-American Kitchen, she lives in Douglaston, New York.
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