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1
Trim any skin or dark or bloody spots off the tuna,. Rinse tuna under cold running water and blot dry with paper towels. Arrange steaks in a nonreactive baking dish.
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2
Combine basil, garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, vinegar, oil, salt, and pepper in a food processor or blender and puree until smooth. Pour mixture over tuna and marinate in the refrigerator, covered for 30 minutes to 2 hours, turning the tuna steaks several times.
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3
Set up grill for direct grilling and preheat to high. If using a gas grill, place the wood chips in the smoker box and preheat until you see smoke. When ready to cook, brush and oil the grill grate.
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4
Drain the tuna steaks and arrange on the grill. Grill until cooked to taste, 2 to 3 minutes per side for rare, 4 to 6 minutes per side for medium, rotating the steaks 45 degrees after 2 minutes to create grill marks. The steaks should be nicely browned on the outside. Test for doneness using the poke test: A rare steak will be soft, a medium-rare steak will be gently yielding, and a medium steak will be firm. Transfer the steaks to plates or a platter and let rest for 3 minutes, then serve with the salad.
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5
Sub-Recipe:
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6
ARUGULA, ENDIVE, AND YELLOW TOMATO SALAD
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7
1 large bunch arugula, washed, dried, and stemmed
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8
1 pint yellow cherry tomatoes, halved (see Note)
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9
3 T diced red onion
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10
2 to 3 T fresh lemon juice
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11
3 to 4 T extra-virgin olive oil
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12
Coarse salt (kosher or sea) and freshly ground black pepper
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13
Put arugula in a medium-size bowl and chill, covered, until serving time.
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14
Just before serving, add tomatoes, onion, lemon juice, oil, and salt and pepper to the bowl. Gently toss to mix. Correct the seasoning, adding lemon juice, salt, or pepper to taste.
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15
Transfer salad to plates or a platter, preferably chilled.
