Ingredients

• 600g/14oz baby tomatoes
• cut in half horizontally
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 200g/7oz ciabatta
• torn into small pieces
• 1 large banana shallot
• finely chopped
• 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 4 tbsp capers
• drained and rinsed
• 175g/6oz wood-roasted piquillo peppers
• chopped (available from some supermarkets and from Continental delicatessens)
• 2 handfuls basil
• leaves only
• 4 x 200g/7oz tuna steaks
• 1 lemon
• zest only
• 1 garlic clove
• grated
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Directions

• For the salad
• preheat the oven to 150C/300F/Gas 1.
• Place the tomatoes onto a baking tray
• cut-side facing upwards.
• Drizzle over one tablespoon of the olive oil and season
• to taste
• with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• Transfer the tomatoes to the oven and cook for one hour
• or until softened and slightly dried out. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool slightly.
• Increase the oven temperature to 220C/450F/Gas 8.
• Place the ciabatta pieces onto a baking sheet and drizzle over two tablespoons of the olive oil. Season
• to taste
• with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• Transfer to the oven and cook for 5-7 minutes
• or until crisp and golden-brown.
• Heat the remaining tablespoon of oil in a frying pan over a medium heat. Add the shallot and fry for 2-3 minutes
• or until softened.
• Blend two-thirds of the roasted tomatoes and all of the red wine vinegar and olive oil in a food processor to a fine purée.
• In a bowl
• add half of the purée mixture to the crisp ciabatta croûtons and set aside to soak for five minutes.
• Stir in the remaining roasted tomatoes
• capers
• piquillo peppers and basil leaves. Set aside.
• For the tuna
• place the tuna steaks onto a large plate.
• In a bowl
• whisk together the lemon zest
• garlic and olive oil until well combined. Season
• to taste
• with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• Pour the mixture over the tuna steaks and turn to completely coat them in the mixture. Set aside to marinate for 30 minutes.
• When the tuna has marinated
• heat a griddle pan over a medium heat until hot. When the pan is hot
• add the tuna and cook for one minute.
• Give the tuna a quarter turn and cook for a further minute.
• Turn the tuna by a quarter again and continue to cook for a further minute
• or until criss-cross golden-brown griddle marks have appeared on the tuna.
• Turn the tuna steaks over and cook for 1-2 minutes
• or until cooked to your liking.
• Remove the tuna steaks from the pan and set aside on a warm plate to rest for one minute.
• To serve
• carve the tuna steaks into thick slices. Divide the salad equally among four serving plates. Place one tuna steak on top of each. Drizzle over the tomato dressing.