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SEARED TUNA WITH TIAN OF PROVENCAL VEGETABLES
Serves: 6
Vegetable Tian:
1/3 cup extra-virgin
olive oil
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
1/4 teaspoon minced garlic
1 1/2 teaspoons fine sea salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 pound red bell peppers, roasted, peeled, seeded, and sliced into 1-inch
wide strips
12 ounces fresh plum tomatoes, cut into 1/8-inch thick rounds
8 ounces zucchini, cut into 1/8-inch thick rounds
8 ounces Japanese
eggplant, cut into 1/8-inch thick rounds
Assembly:
6 (6-ounce)
portions fresh tuna steaks, cut about 2 1/2-inches thick
1/2 teaspoon fine
sea salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon
extra-virgin olive oil
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly oil a
9 by 13-inch ceramic or glass baking dish. In a small bowl, combine the oil
with the thyme, garlic, salt, and pepper.
Arrange half of the vegetables in
rows in the dish, interspersing the different types until the bottom of the
dish is covered. Drizzle with half of the oil mixture.
Make a final layer
of mixed vegetables, and drizzle with the remaining oil mixture. Cover the top
of the vegetables with lightly oiled parchment paper. Bake until the vegetables
are tender, about 40 minutes.
Remove the vegetable tian from the oven, keep
warm in a warm place, and increase the oven temperature to 450 degrees F.
Season the tuna with the salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a large nonstick
skillet over high heat. Add the tuna and cook, turning once, until seared on
both sides, about 2 minutes.
Uncover the tian and place the seared tuna
fillets on top of the vegetables, spacing them evenly. Bake, uncovered, until
the tuna is rare to medium-rare, about 5 minutes. Spoon equal amounts of the
sauce in the centers of 6 warmed plates.
Using a wide spatula, lift
portions of the tuna and vegetables and transfer to the plates.
Tomato
Confit:
1 pound ripe plum tomatoes, peeled, halved, and squeezed to remove
seeds 1 teaspoon fine sea salt 6 garlic cloves, peeled 2 (3-inch ) sprigs fresh
rosemary 1 1/2 cups olive oil, or as needed
Garlic Confit:
1 cup whole,
peeled garlic cloves 1 cup olive oil, plus more as needed Place the tomatoes in
a colander and toss with the salt. Let drain at room temperature for 2 hours.
Pat the tomatoes dry with paper towels. Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F.
Place the tomatoes, garlic, and rosemary in a nonreactive 2-quart saucepan.
Add enough oil to cover the tomatoes. Cover the saucepan and bake until the
tomatoes are very tender, but not falling apart, about 3 hours. Drain, discard
the garlic and rosemary, and set the tomato confit aside for the sauce. (The
tomato confit can be prepared up to 3 days in advance, covered and
refrigerated.)
Place the garlic cloves and 2 cups cold water in a small
saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Drain. Repeat the procedure 2 more
times. Return the drained garlic cloves to the saucepan and add the oil. Bring
to a bare simmer over very low heat. Cook until the garlic is tender, about 40
minutes. Cool completely.
Transfer to a 1-pint canning jar, add enough oil
to cover the garlic, and seal. (The garlic confit can be prepared up to 3 weeks
in advance, covered and refrigerated.)
Sauce:
1/2 cup Tomato Confit
(see above)
1/3 cup Garlic Confit (see above)
1/3 cup water
1/2
teaspoon fine sea salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons
extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 teaspoon
chopped fresh thyme
Place the tomato confit, garlic confit, water, salt
and pepper in a blender and process on high speed. With the machine running,
drizzle in the oil and blend until the sauce is emulsified, about 1 minute.
Transfer to a medium bowl and stir in the parsley and thyme. Set aside at room
temperature.
Recipe courtesy Terrance Brennan
