Quick recipe! This tuna with mustard sauce, anchovies and capers is a recipe that has it all: it's super quick to make, it's super tasty and it's a great way to bring grilled tuna to life.
Believe me when I tell you that you can have the sauce ready in 3 minutes, and I'm sure you know how quick it is to turn tuna on the grill (or in a skillet, it's exactly the same since it's made of vitrified iron), so this dish is a great and healthy option for everyday use.
It is an ideal sauce for those who like intense flavours or those who want to give more flavour to tuna, because thanks to its base ingredients (mustard, capers and the saltiness of anchovies) it is an intense sauce. I hope you like it as much as they do at home!
Revol slate plate and bowl and Le Creuset cast iron grill
Ingredients (for 2 people)
- 2 tuna loins
- 3 generous tablespoons of Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Juice and zest of a small lemon
- 2 dessert spoons of capers
- 2 dessert spoons of basil
- 2 dessert spoons of chives (optional)
- 4 anchovy fillets
- Salt and pepper
To accompany: to taste, rice, couscous, endives or salad...
Preparation
- In a food processor , add the mustard, oil, lemon juice and zest, and basil (and chives, optionally). Blend until you get a smooth sauce - you'll see that it's ready in just a few seconds.
- Add the capers and finely chopped anchovies to the sauce. Mix and set aside. The sauce is now ready.
- Place a Le Creuset cast iron grill over low-medium heat (you can also do this in a cast iron skillet, it has exactly the same cooking surface, the only difference is the shape compared to cast iron griddles).
- While the grill is heating, arrange the tuna fillets on a plate or wooden board. Season one side with salt and pepper and turn to the other side. Brush the second side with the prepared mustard sauce.
- When the grill is hot, turn the heat to high, add a splash of oil to the grill and add the tuna loins. Let them cook on one side and when you see (looking at their cross section) that they are done on one side and starting to lose the red in the center, turn them over and let them cook on the second side. When they are ready, remove them to a plate.
- Add a little sauce, which you can decorate with some capers and chopped anchovies on top. Ready to serve with the accompaniment of your choice!
Grades
- Remember that it is important to heat the pans and grills little by little, to give them time to distribute the heat over the entire surface gradually and not burn the center (it is not a good idea to put the heat to maximum from the start, because the center will remain hot and you can burn the utensil, and the sides will remain cold, making it impossible to cook the food correctly.
- Tuna loins (like other fish and meats, if you grill them) should be at room temperature and not cold before you put them on the grill. So it is better to take the loins out of the fridge 20 minutes before cooking them so that they lose their coldness. Otherwise, when you put them on the grill, they drop the temperature immediately, and it takes them a while to get back to the optimal cooking temperature. Also, if they are lukewarm, they will be cooked more easily and quickly.
- To make the sauce in a food processor, I use the electric one from WMF, or alternatively the manual one from Tefal, ideal for small quantities. You can also use the small bowl of your food processor.
- When cooking tuna, it is a good idea to keep the center slightly red: if tuna is well done, it will be very dry and it is a good idea to leave it slightly raw inside (unless you are one of those who always prefer it very well done).
- When serving, bring the tuna to the table with the remaining sauce in a bowl - there will surely be someone who wants to add a little more or take advantage of the opportunity to spread some on bread.
- Today I accompanied it with endives with capers and feta cheese flavoured with herbs, which I seasoned with the same oil used to marinate the cheese. A very simple but delicious combination, which went wonderfully with tuna.
