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Naanwich with Tuna and Harissa

Naanwich with Tuna and Harissa

Naanwich with Tuna and Harissa. I served the fish at room temperature tucked into warm naan and drizzled with some reheated poaching oil.

Naanwich with Tuna and Harissa 

Print This Recipe Total time Yield 4–6Source Inspired by Melissa ClarkPublished
Naanwich with Tuna and Harissa

Ingredients

  • 1 ½ pound fresh tuna fillets (cut into ½″ x 1″ x 1 ½′ slabs)
  • 2 tablespoon harissa (or more to taste)
  • salt and pepper (as needed for seasoning)
  • ¼ cup halved and pitted kalamata olives
  • 2–3 Fresno chili peppers (sliced, seeds discarded)
  • 2 clove garlic (peeled and chopped)
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2–3 sprigs fresh thyme
  • extra-virgin olive oil (as needed)
  • 4–6 naan (about 8 inches in diameter)
  • baby kale leaves (to taste)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Lay the tuna slabs onto a clean work surface. Gently massage the harissa onto all sides of each slab then season with salt and pepper. Spread the olives halves and Fresno chili slices across the bottom of an 8 or 9‑inch cake pan or equivalently sized oven-proof dish. Place about half of the tuna on top of the olives and chili peppers then tuck in the garlic, bay leaf, and thyme sprigs. Lay the remaining fish on top and pour in enough olive oil to barely cover all the fish. The fish should fit snuggly, but not be packed in. You want the oil to engulf the ingredients.

Cover the pan with foil and place it on a rimmed baking sheet. Transfer to the heated oven and cook the fish 12 to 15 minutes. You will want to check the fish at about 10 minutes. You’ll want to remove it from the oven while it’s still quite rare. It will continue to cook as it cools. Use your judgment.

Remove the pan from the oven and allow it to cool while still covered. You may make the fish several hours ahead of time to this point. 

To serve use a slotted spoon to gently remove the fish, olives, and peppers to a plate. Transfer the poaching oil to a small saucepan and gently reheat it over medium heat.

Meanwhile, heat a griddle or large skillet and warm the naan, on both sides, until pliable and just beginning to toast. Generously spread some tuna, olives, and peppers onto the center of a piece of naan, then top with some baby kale leaves. Drizzle with hot poaching oil then fold the naan in half like a taco, and fasten it closed with 1 or 2 toothpicks. Repeat with remaining pieces of naan. Serve immediately.