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Recipe Detail Page
Grilled Tuna with Potato Bundles
Summer 2008
This outstanding dinner is completely cooked on the barbecue and easily adapted to differing numbers of guests―and to being made with salmon, if preferred. This meal is grilled à la minute―all at the last minute. Every barbecue is different, so adjust the cooking times to your particular grill, keeping in mind it must be very hot before starting to grill.
Serves 4
8 medium plum tomatoes
12 medium new potatoes
¼ cup (50 mL) olive oil
¼ cup (50 mL) butter, melted
3 large garlic cloves, minced
3 tbsp (45 mL) finely chopped fresh thyme
Small pinches of saffron threads
Pinches of salt
Small pinches of freshly ground black pepper
4 tuna or salmon steaks, each about 6 to 7 oz (175 to 200 g)
1 tbsp (15 mL) peanut or canola oil
12 to 16 black olives
1. Half-fill a large saucepan with water; bring to a boil. Plunge tomatoes in batches into water for 30 to 45 seconds to loosen skins. Remove to a large bowl of cold tap water. Repeat. Core and peel tomatoes; dice into ½-inch (1-cm) pieces. Set aside.
2. Place potatoes into hot water in saucepan; bring to a boil. Gently boil for 15 minutes or until potatoes are just tender when pierced. Drain and cool slightly. Cut potatoes in half; set aside.
3. Cut 16 squares of foil each about 12 inches (30 cm) across. Place 2 pieces together, ending up with 8 squares of double-thickness. Coat with nonstick spray. Stir olive oil with butter, garlic and thyme.
4. Dividing tomatoes, make a heap in centre of 4 squares; add a pinch of saffron to each. On the other 4 squares, place potatoes in centre, cut-side up. Drizzle tomatoes and potatoes with about 1 tbsp (15 mL) olive oil mixture each, using it all up. Top each with a generous pinch of salt and a smaller pinch of pepper. Turn potatoes cut-side down. Bring 2 long sides of foil together, firmly double over a few times. Then bring up and seal narrow edges forming somewhat flat, oblong packages. (Packages can be made up to half a day ahead; refrigerate on a tray until needed.)
5. At least 15 minutes before grilling, preheat barbeque until very hot. Add potato packages; grill 5 minutes. Then, leaving potatoes still on grill, add tomato packets; cook 5 minutes. Do not turn over packets. (Add a few minutes if refrigerated.) When steaming, pull to cooler side of grill or up onto warming rack.
6. Rub tuna on both sides with peanut oil. Add fish to hottest area; grill for 3 minutes. Turn fish; continue grilling for another 3 minutes or until a fork used to separate the flakes of flesh show an under-cooked centre for medium-rare. Fish continues to cook under its blanket of hot tomato sauce so do not overcook!
7. Place fish on warmed serving plates. Open potatoes and tumble alongside fish. Open tomato packets at 1 end; pour over fish. Garnish with olives and additional thyme. Serve right away with baguette slices for sopping up flavourful sauce.
Serves 4
