Tuna baked in paper parcels

Created by: Sydney Seafood School at Sydney Fish Market
Serves: 6

These parcels can be prepared several hours ahead of time and removed from the fridge 30 minutes before you’re ready to cook them. Serve the parcels for guests to open at the table, releasing the delicious aroma of basil.

Ingredients

  • 3 tomatoes, peeled and diced
  • 4 golden shallots, sliced 
  • 1 clove garlic, crushed
  • 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tsp aged balsamic vinegar (see notes)
  • Salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 6x 180g sashimi-grade Tuna steaks (see notes)
  • 18 basil leaves
  • Green salad, to serve
  • Crusty bread, to serve

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 180ºC. 
  2. Combine tomatoes, shallots, garlic, oil, vinegar, salt and pepper. 
  3. Lay a sheet of baking paper on the bench. Place a steak in the middle, place one-sixth of the tomato mixture and 3 basil leaves on top. Bring the two long edges of the paper together and fold over twice to seal, fold the other two ends over several times towards the centre of the parcel to seal well, then tuck them under the parcel and place on a baking tray. Repeat with remaining steaks. 
  4. Place the tray in the oven and bake for 10-15 minutes, until cooked to your liking (they can be served still rare in the centre). After 10 minutes, remove one parcel from the oven, carefully undo and use a fork to check the centre of the fish. Remember that the fish will continue to cook in their parcels, so it’s good to remove them from the oven before they are cooked all the way through. 
  5. Place a parcel on each plate and serve with salad and crusty bread.

Notes

  • Use balsamic vinegar labelled ‘Balsamico di Modena’, it’s more expensive but the taste is far superior.
  • Remove the fish from the fridge 20-30 minutes before you cook it, to allow it to come to room temperature, this is particularly important if it is being served rare in the centre.
  • Sashimi-grade fish is normally sold trimmed, if it is not, trim off any skin and dark muscle before cooking.
  • Alternative species: Albacore, Atlantic Salmon, Bonito, Mackerel, Striped Marlin, Swordfish, Yellowtail Kingfish.