TUNA CATAPLANA

• Dish Type: Main
• Serves: 4-6
• Preparation time: 20 mins
• Cooking time: 20 mins
• Difficulty: Difficult

Ingredients:

• 4 medium/large potatoes
• 1 onion (chopped)
• 4 tuna steaks (allow 1kg)
• 1 Kg Clams
• 1 or 2 garlic cloves (chopped)
• 1 glass of dry white wine
• 250g smoked bacon lardons
• 4 tablespoons of olive oil
• 1 bell pepper
• 2 large ripe tomatoes
• Bay leaves & parsley

1. Boil the potatoes whole for 15/20 minutes (i.e. slightly under done), drain, then peel whilst hot and cut into thick slices - set aside and keep warm. In the meantime, slice the onion, chop the garlic and slice the pepper.
2. Gently saute the onions, chopped garlic, pepper slices and bacon in the cataplana with four or five tablespoons of olive oil for 10 - 15 minutes.
3. Chop the tomatoes removing most of the seeds and maybe the skin.
4. Add a glass of dry white wine to the cataplana along with the tomatoes, bay leaf, sprig of parsley and the tuna steaks. Bring gently to the boil to let the flavours merge together then close the lid, reduce the heat, and simmer for 20 minutes stirring carefully 2 or 3 times. Add the clam in the last few minutes of cooking until they are open.
5. Uncover, add the sliced potatoes and cook for a further 5 minutes to re-heat them, then garnish with chopped parsley and serve directly from the cataplana.