COLD TUNA NIçOISE

Cold Tuna Niçoise image

Provided by James Beard

Yield Serves 6 to 8

Number Of Ingredients 12

3-4 pounds fresh tuna
4-6 cloves garlic, sliced
12 anchovy fillets
Olive oil
2 teaspoons basil
3-4 onions, sliced
3-4 pounds fresh tomatoes or 2 1-pound, 13-ounce cans Italian plum tomatoes
2 small green peppers, chopped
1 tablespoon salt
1 bay leaf
Red wine
1/2 cup black olives

Steps:

Make gashes in the tuna and insert garlic slices and anchovy fillets. Rub well with oil and basil and let it stand 2 hours in the refrigerator.
Sear the tuna in olive oil. Add the onions, tomatoes, peppers, seasonings and wine. Cover and braise the fish 1 1/2 hours. Add olives to the sauce and serve hot. Or you may remove the fish to a serving dish, reduce the sauce and pour it around the fish. Cool and chill. Cut the fish in paper-thin slices and serve with the reduced sauce.