Grilled Tuna with Zucchini Pasta and Artichoke Sauce

Make good use of excess summer zucchini by creating "pasta", tossing with a flavourful artichoke and tomato sauce and serving alongside simple grilled tuna steaks. If you're short on time, substitute store-bought olive tapenade.

By Chef Damon Stainbrook

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4 tuna steaks, 6 ounces (170 g) each 
Kosher salt 
Black pepper 
oil

Zucchini pasta: 
4 cups (1 L) Julienne green and gold Zucchini 
2 tsp (10 mL) kosher salt

Artichoke sauce: 
16 oz (500 mL) peeled, seeded and diced tomatoes 
1 medium yellow onion, diced 
3 cloves garlic, minced 
1 tsp (5 mL) kosher salt 
1 cup (250 mL) diced marinated baby artichokes 
1 to 2 teaspoons (5 to 10 mL) finely minced hot or mild chile pepper, or to taste 
1/4 cup (65 mL) chopped fresh basil 
Black pepper to taste

Black olive tapenade: 
1 cup (250 mL) pitted Kalamata olives, chopped (or olives of your liking) 
1 large garlic clove, minced 
1 Tbsp (15 mL) capers 
1/4 cup (65 mL) fresh basil leaves, chopped 
1/4 cup (65 mL) fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped 
Pinch crushed red pepper flakes 
1 Tbsp (15 mL) red or white wine vinegar 
1/2 cup (125 mL) extra-virgin olive oil 
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

When buying tuna, look for varieties that are sustainably caught, preferably by hook and line or poll and line. 

Combine all tapenade ingredients, tasting and adding salt and pepper to taste. Cover and let stand at room temperature before serving. Makes 1 1/2 cups.

Julienne the zucchini into long, thin noodle-like shapes. Toss with salt and let sit in colander for 15 minutes. Zucchini will soften to an al dente consistency.

To make the sauce, cook onion and garlic with salt over low heat in a heavy-bottom pot until translucent, 5 to 7 minutes. Add crushed tomatoes and simmer for 30 minutes. Add artichokes, chile pepper and basil and simmer another 10 minutes. Add black pepper to taste and set sauce aside to cool.

Right before grilling tuna, toss the sauce and zucchini together in large bowl.

Pull tuna steaks out of fridge 15 minutes before cooking, which will help keep them from sticking to the grill (if using). Season tuna steaks with salt and pepper, then brush lightly with oil.

Lightly brush a grill rack or broiler pan with a little oil. Grill tuna over medium-high heat. Turn after about 2 to 3 minutes for rare tuna, 4 to 6 minutes for more medium to well done. Tuna should maintain a pink centre, but will flake easily around edges.

To finish, twist equal portions of pasta onto four plates, and top with grilled tuna and tablespoon of tapenade.