This is a really tasty and healthy summer dish that takes only a few minutes to prepare.

I like to grill the tuna for a minute on each side so it has a nice brown colour on the outside but still remains a little pink in the middle,  but you must do it how you prefer it.

Serves 2

INGREDIENTS

2 tuna steaks, 250 g each, about 2 cm thick

1 garlic clove, peeled and sliced

1 fresh red chilli, chopped

7-8 basil leaves

1 big unwaxed lemon

2 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil

Black pepper, freshly ground

Salt

METHOD

Preheat the grill to high.

Add the sliced garlic clove, the chopped chilli pepper, the basil leaves, the juice of ½ lemon, the extra-virgin olive oil and a good pinch of salt to the mortar.

Finely grate over the lemon zest, then holding the mortar steady with one hand, bash and crush all the ingredients with the pestle until thoroughly combined.

Lay the tuna steaks on the grill and cook them for a few  minutes each side, according to how rare you like them.

Sear them for about a minute on each side for a rare steak – leave them for 2 minutes on each side if you like them cooked medium, or about 3 minutes each side if you prefer them well done.

Put the tuna on a plate and spoon over some of the spicy dressing. Add some freshly ground black pepper on each portion before serving it.

Serve immediately.

TEMPTING TIPS

If you can’t get hold of tuna then swordfish is a  very good steak-like alternative. An aromatic Albariño is an excellent match for this spicy recipe. Albariño is a varietal from Galicia, in the north-western part of Spain which shows a perfect combination of fruit, refreshing acidity and viscosity that gives this wine the edge when it comes to spicy food.