Tuna à la catalane is one of the great dishes of Catalan cuisine, shared between southern France and north-eastern Spain. Generous chunks of tuna are simmered in a rich, fragrant sauce of tomatoes, peppers, olives and herbs. Hearty, flavourful and deeply satisfying.
Ingredients (serves 4)
- 600 g fresh tuna steaks, cut into chunks
- 1 onion, finely sliced
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 red pepper, diced
- 1 x 400 g tin of chopped tomatoes
- 100 g green or black olives
- A sprig of fresh thyme and a bay leaf
- 1 tbsp tomato purée
- Olive oil
- Salt and pepper
- Fresh flat-leaf parsley (to serve)
Instructions
- Season the tuna chunks with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in a large frying pan and sear the tuna on all sides until golden. Remove and set aside.
- In the same pan, sauté the onion and garlic until softened. Add the red pepper and cook for 5 minutes.
- Stir in the tomato purée, then the chopped tomatoes, olives, thyme and bay leaf. Season well.
- Simmer the sauce over medium heat for 15 minutes.
- Return the tuna to the pan. Cover and cook over gentle heat for 8–10 minutes.
- Garnish with fresh parsley and serve with crusty bread or steamed rice.
Bon profit! 🇪🇸🐟 (Bon appétit in Catalan!)