Pot roasted tuna with lentils

How to make Pot roasted tuna with lentils recipe

Serves 4

Preparation time 15 minutes, Cooking time 50 minutes – 1 hour 10 minutes

Ingredients:
½ teaspoon celery salt
750 g (1½ lb) tuna, in one slender piece
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 fennel bulb, thinly sliced
250 g (8 oz) black lentils, rinsed
1 glass white wine, about 150ml (¼ pint)
250 ml (8 fl oz) fish or vegetable stock
4 tablespoons chopped fennel leaves or dill
2 tablespoons capers, rinsed and drained
400 g (13 oz) can chopped tomatoes
salt and pepper

Method:
Mix the celery salt with a little pepper and rub all over the tuna. Heat the oil in a flameproof casserole over a medium-high heat and fry the tuna on all sides until browned. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper on a plate. Add the sliced fennel to the pan and fry gently until softened.

Stir in the lentils and wine and bring to the boil, then cook until the wine has reduced by about half. Stir in the stock, fennel leaves or dill, capers and tomatoes and bring to the boil. Cover and transfer to a preheated oven, 180°C (350°F), Gas Mark 4, and cook for 15 minutes.

Add the tuna, return to the oven and cook for a further 20 minutes or until the lentils are completely tender and the tuna is still slightly pink in the centre. If you prefer it well done, return to the oven for a further 15–20 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve.

For pot-roasted lamb with lentils, replace the tuna with a 625 g (1¼ lb) piece of rolled loin of lamb. Omit the fennel bulb and celery salt and fry the lamb in the oil as above.

Cook the lentils as above, replacing the fish or vegetable stock with 250 ml (8 fl oz) chicken stock and the fennel leaves or dill with 4 tablespoons chopped rosemary or oregano. Add the lamb and return to the oven for a further 30 minutes. If you prefer your lamb well done, cook for a further 20 minutes.

Pot roasted tuna with lentils