Serving size: Serves 4
Cooking time: Less than 30 minutes
Course: Lunch, Main

INGREDIENTS

1 tspn Szechwan peppercorns
1 tspn aniseeds
½ powdered nutmeg
½ ground sweet paprika
¼ tspn ground tumeric
4 X 150g tuna steak
spray cooking oil
2 tblspns extra Virgin olive oil
½ chopped onion
1 small fennel bulb, finely sliced
mixed blanched vegetables (potatoes, parsnips, carrots, yellow squash, green beans)
salt and ground black pepper to taste

METHOD

Grind the peppercorns and aniseeds in a mortar and pestle or in a spice grinder; mix with the other 3 spices and shake well to combine.

Sprinkle a small amount of the spice mix onto each tuna steak on one side only — rub in.

Cook the vegetables by heating the olive oil in a large frying pan and start by cooking the onion and fennel for 1minute; add the amount of the cooked vegies to suit you. Cook until lightly browned and heated through.

Heat another large frying pan, spray the tuna with oil and cook for 1 minute over medium heat. Sprinkle some of the spice mix onto the tuna and rub in — turn and cook for another minute. Do not over cook the tuna as it will be dry and un-appetising.

To serve, spoon equal amount of the cooked vegetables into the centre of 4 plates — pour over a little extra Virgin olive oil and sprinkle with chopped parsley (optional) and sit a piece of tuna onto each pile of vegetables. Lemon with a lemon cheek (optional).