Oregano crusted seared tuna is the star of the show, backed up by zingy couscous with feta, capers and chilli. A beautiful and easy meal for either lunch or dinner.
We eat fish no more than once a week in our household. I love fresh fish and could eat it constantly, but think for ethical reasons that once a week is really enough. So, when I do cook it, I like to really make it count!
New Zealand tuna is wonderful. If you go to New Zealand on holiday you really should try the tuna as I do think it tastes very different to Northern Hemisphere tuna. I am not sure why, or how that is the case, but I wasn’t much of a fan of it when living in the UK and now that I am in New Zealand, I love it.
Before you buy your tuna, ask the fishmonger if it is ethically sourced. It should be, but it is always best to check. One rule you should always remember, no blue fin tuna ever! It is a critically endangered species, so it’s always off the menu! Never, ever, ever eat it.
It also matters where the tuna was caught, as some species are dangerously overfished in some areas of the planet, but not so in other areas.
So always ask, and don’t be embarrassed to do so, you are being a responsible consumer and it is your right to know before you buy it. Also, any good fish monger should be able to tell you whether your fish is ethically sourced or not. Often they are very well trained and therefore happy to share their knowledge with you.
As top of the food chain we are in a very privileged position, and it is my feeling that with that privilege comes responsibility.
I hope you love this dish as much as we do, let us know!
Enjoy
- Ingredients and method for the Italian Couscous Salad:
- Ingredients for the Tuna:
- 1 large fillet of fresh tuna
- 2 tsp capers
- ½ tsp chopped garlic
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 red chilli sliced
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 2 courgettes, sliced into ribbons
- 4 spring onions, sliced
- **This recipe will serve 4 people.**
- Make the Italian Couscous Salad in advance.
- Season the tuna fillet with salt and pepper then cover with the oregano and pat it down hard so that it sticks to the fish.
- Add olive oil to a large pan and cook the tuna on a high heat, 1-2 minutes on each side.
- In the final minute of cooking, add to the pan the garlic, chilli and capers and cook for 1 minute.
- Put the contents of the pan onto a plate and leave aside.
- To the same pan add the spring onions and courgettes. Add a splash of water to the pan, add a lid and cook for 2 minutes.
- Assemble the Italian Couscous Salad onto a plate and pile the veggies on top.
- Slice the tuna thinly and arrange with the capers and chilli on the top.
- Serve hot.
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