Sicilian Tuna in Stemperata Sauce

Name: Sicilian Tuna in Stemperata Sauce
Ingredients: 4 thick tuna stakes; olive oil; salt and pepper; balsamic vinegar; Stemperata sauce:; 4 celery sticks, plus the leaves, finely chopped; 1 small red onion, finely chopped; 30 ml (2 tablespoons) olive oil; 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped; 150 g green olives, pitted and chopped; 175 g capers, rinsed; 75 g raisins, plumped in a little hot water; 15 ml (1 tablespoon) sugar; 45 ml (3 tablespoons) white wine vinegar; 15 ml (1 tablespoon) flat leaved parsley, chopped; freshly ground black pepper

Sicily is tuna heaven. The fish is served in hundreds of ways – in tomato sauces, with almonds, with oranges, with vinegar and onions, raw, marinated, with pasta and without. Many of the dishes, like this one, are sweet and sour, showing the island’s Arab legacy. The sauce is dead easy to make and can be prepared in advance.

Published 19 May 2025

Method

Make the sauce. Sauté the celery and onion in the olive oil for 5 minutes. Add the garlic, olives, capers and raisins and cook 3 minutes. Add the vinegar and sugar and cook until the vinegar has evaporated. Set aside.
When you are ready to serve the meal, rub olive oil, salt and pepper into the tuna steaks. Heat a griddle pan until very hot. Cook the tune for 2 minutes on each side. It has to be charred on the outside and pink and melting on the inside. The final minute, add a good shot of balsamic vinegar and turn the fish over once in the vinegar. It gives a fantastic glaze.
Serve the tuna at once with the sauce and some extra olive oil.