Tonno All'Alcamese
Contributed by: NAPSA
Family Recipe Evokes Childhood Memories
(NAPSA) - Food is a passion for many people, but one celebrity chef can't help warmly thinking of his father whenever he prepares a certain favorite recipe.
"My father was an art dealer in Palermo, Italy," says chef Nick Stellino of PBS cooking show fame. "But he also loved the kitchen. He cooked every day with my mother."
Stellino, whose credits include PBS' "Cucina Amore I-III" and "Nick Stellino: Food, Love & Family," says the recipe below was one of his father's specialties.
"I remember the whole family coming to my father's house in Italy to enjoy this meal."
Ingredients:
- 2 28-ounce cans whole San Marzano tomatoes, reserve juice
- 6 garlic cloves, chopped
- 2 tablespoons chopped mint
- 2 tablespoons chopped basil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
- Pinch red pepper flakes
- 1/2 cup Pompeian Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 6 tuna steaks, approximately 6-8 ounces each, cut 1 1/2 inch thick (swordfish steaks may be used in place of tuna)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 4 tablespoons Pompeian Classic Mediterranean Olive Oil
Directions:
Drain both cans of tomatoes over a large bowl to catch the juices. With the back of a spoon or a well-washed hand, squeeze the whole tomatoes to release the remaining juices and break the tomatoes to medium-sized pieces.
Add basil, mint, salt, pepper, sugar, oregano, garlic and red pepper flakes. Stir well.
Add 1/3 cup of the reserved juices and 1/2 cup of Pompeian Extra Virgin Olive Oil.
Stir well. Cover and let the flavors marinate for 1-2 hours, preferably overnight.
Salt and pepper the tuna steaks. Rub 4 tablespoons of Pompeian Classic Mediterranean Olive Oil onto steaks and put on a hot grill or grill pan. Cook for 4-5 minutes per side, or until done to your liking.
Serve the steaks smothered with sauce. Garnish with a few basil leaves, sliced or chopped.
Chef's Tips:
If you can't find San Marzano tomatoes, use Italian-style peeled tomatoes and add extra pinches of sugar. Also, if preparing on a BBQ, thread the tuna on skewers to prevent curling.
