Tuna with Basil-Mint Oil, Cucumber and Pistachios

Buy the freshest tuna steak you can and cook it to your liking for this quick-as-a-flash dish that marries the warm meaty fish with cool cucumbers and crunchy pistachios, all draped in a mintybasil oil.

1 large handful fresh basil leaves (about 1⁄2 ounce), roughly chopped

1 large handful fresh mint leaves (about 1⁄2 ounce), roughly chopped

1⁄4cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus 1

tablespoon, divided 1 tablespoon water

1⁄2 tablespoon white-wine vinegar 1⁄2 teaspoon finely grated lemon

zest, divided

Fine sea salt or table salt

1 (9- to 10-ounce) tuna steak,

about 1 inch thick

Finely ground black pepper

1⁄2 large English cucumber (6-8 ounces), scrubbed and very thinly sliced

2 tablespoons salted pistachios,

chopped, plus more as needed

Instructions: In a food processor, combine the basil, mint, 1⁄4 cup of the olive oil, water and vinegar and 1⁄4 teaspoon of the lemon zest and pulse until the herbs are finely chopped. Taste, and season with salt and the remaining lemon zest as needed.

Pat the tuna dry and lightly season with salt and pepper. In a small, heavy pan over high heat, heat the remaining oil until shimmering. Add the tuna and cook until flaky but still pink inside, 1 minute-90 seconds. Transfer to a cutting board and slice in half.

Arrange the cucumber slices as desired on two plates, add half the tuna to each plate and drizzle the tuna and cucumber with the basil-mint oil. Sprinkle each plate with the pistachios, adding more if desired, and serve.

Makes 2 servings

Adapted from “365: A Year of Everyday Cooking & Baking” by Meike Peters (Prestel, 2019).