Fresh tuna with mint pesto

My family simply goes crazy for this recipe and I really love it too!.
It is a sophisticated dish, but at the same time it is fresh, delicious and very fast to prepare...

Please remember that if the fish is not completely cooked- just like in this case -, you should freeze it for at least 48 hrs to kill any parasites, and let the fish defrost slowly in the fridge. (When you cook it very well there is no need because heat kills everything...)

Ingredients for 4

600 gr / 1 lb 1/2 fresh tuna, cut in 1 inch slices
For the mint pesto
200 ml  Extra virgin olive oil 
about 20 fresh mint leaves - washed and dried with a cloth
25 + 25 grs/ 2+2 ounces pine nuts (2 to garnish)
For the marinade
1/2 a cup Extra virgin olive oil
juice of 1/2 a lemon
chives (finely chopped)
1 clove garlic (sliced)
salt and pepper


1) In a deep, flat container pour the oil, the sliced garlic, salt, pepper, chives and the lemon juice.
Put the tuna in the marinade and let it get the flavours for max 1/2 hour, turning it now and then. Refrigerate it.
Do not keep the fish any longer because the lemon could "cook" the tuna (or add the lemon juice at the very last minute).


2) Put half of the pine nuts in a pan and let them brown few seconds, in order to make them crunchier.






3) In the meanwhile, prepare the mint pesto; you can do it in your mixer, putting the mint and the pine-nuts together with little oil, salt and pepper and after a short processing adding all the oil. 
You should obtain a thick cream. Do not over process it, when eating you should taste the crunchiness of the pine-nuts



4) Warm up your pan, drain the tuna, and cook it uncovered for about 3 minutes on each side. The insider part of the slice must remain dark red. 

5) Put the tuna on a cutting board and cut pieces about 1/2 inch.

6) Put the tuna pieces on a serving plate and spread the pesto on them.
Garnish with the toasted pine nuts.

Enjoy!!