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Tuna Steaks Genova Style Recipe

Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time45 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian
Servings: 2 servings

Ingredients

  • pounds fresh tuna cut into 2 large steaks
  • salt to season the tuna
  • flour to dredge the tuna in
  • cup olive oil extra virgin
  • ½ cup dried porcini mushrooms
  • 6 cloves garlic peeled and crushed
  • 2 small anchovy fillets try anchovy paste if you don't want to open up a whole can for 2 fillets
  • cups dry white wine
  • 1 lemon juice from
  • 3 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil extra virgin, to finish the sauce
  • 2 tablespoons fresh parsley chopped.

Instructions

  • Start by soaking the dried porcini mushrooms in a cup of water.
  • Next season the tuna steaks with salt on both sides and dredge in flour being sure to coat both sides but more importantly, shaking off any excess flour.
  • Heat a frying pan large enough to hold both steaks over medium-high heat until hot. Add 4 tablespoons of the extra virgin olive oil and let that get hot but not smoking.
  • Add the tuna to the pan and pan fry for about 1 minute. Flip the tuna steaks over and cook on the other side for another minute to minute and a half.
  • Remove the pan from the heat and transfer the tuna to a plate to keep warm while you make the sauce. I covered the fish with aluminum foil.

Start the Sauce

  • Remove the soaking mushrooms from the water but don't throw the water out. We will use it in the sauce. Chop up the porcini mushrooms to fine pieces.
  • Add the frying pan back to the burner over medium high heat. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil and let it get hot. Add the crushed garlic, chopped anchovy fillets and chopped up porcini mushrooms.
  • When those ingredients start to sizzle, add the white wine, lemon juice and the water the porcini mushrooms soaked in. I used a funnel lined with a paper towel to remove any sediment from the water. I would have liked to use a coffee filter in a funnel but couldn't find any.
  • Add the thyme sprigs and season with a little salt. Bring the sauce to a low boil and cook until it is reduced by half.

Finish the Tuna Steaks

  • When the sauce is reduced by half, add the tuna steaks back into the pan and be sure to pour any juices from the resting tuna into the sauce.
  • Let the tuna cook in the sauce for about a minute, flip and cook the steaks on the other side for another minute. If you like your tuna more well done, let it cook longer.

Extra Flavor

  • Now to add even more flavor to the sauce, add 2 tablespoons of butter or extra virgin olive oil to the pan and stir to combine the flavors.
  • Remove the pan from the heat, add the parsley, give a quick stir and you are ready to serve.
  • I put a couple of spoonfuls of rice in the center of the plate, topped with a tuna steak and spooned the sauce around the sides of the fish and some on top. The Brussels sprouts were tastefully arranged on the side of the plate.

Notes

I made the sauce separately from the tuna only because I wanted to get it done before everyone was ready for me to make dinner. In the end I just added the sauce to the pan the tuna cooked in and finished the recipe. Next time I would prepare the entire dish in one pan as Lidia does.
People ask me all the time how long is longer. I wish I could tell you but it depends on the stove you are using, the pan, the thickness of the fish and much more. The best I can tell you is over time you will get a feel for it. You can always cut into a piece if you have to know, but I don't like doing that because you are letting a lot of the juices escape. This is even more a problem with meat and chicken.