Tuna with onion and tomato in sweet and sour sauce is a flavorful main course typical of Sicilian tradition.
Fairly simple to make, it’s a complete dish where tuna steaks are accompanied by sweet and sour onions, known locally as “cipuddata.”
In the region of Catania, we often prepare this dish enriched with fresh tomatoes. The onions cover the tuna steaks, giving them their unmistakable sweet and aromatic taste. A typical dish of the maritime tradition, Sicilians hold it dear.
Each one of us probably has memories of a mother or grandmother preparing it on hot summer days, during the tuna fishing season.
It’s a pleasure to enjoy both the flavorful yet delicate tuna and the sweet and sour onions with tomato! A tasty dish, easily served as a standalone meal with homemade bread.
This is a must-have recipe on my blog, part of those timeless traditional recipes that remain relevant and loved regardless of trends and habits.
Fresh tuna is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which help lower bad cholesterol and prevent cardiovascular diseases.
Omega-3s also act as natural antidepressants and help combat anxiety. This type of fish contains essential minerals and vitamins.
Both onion and tomato are important in our diet: onion is antibacterial and boosts the immune system and kidney function.
Meanwhile, tomatoes, the true kings of the Mediterranean diet, are rich in minerals, vitamins, and antioxidants while being low in calories.
Sweet and sour also has its own role: it’s an ancient method to better preserve foods and aids liver function, making dishes more digestible.
Traditional dishes always make a great choice; let’s not miss any good opportunity to prepare them for our families!
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- Difficulty: Medium
- Cost: Economical
- Preparation time: 25 Minutes
- Portions: 2
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Energy 2,956.70 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 57.20 (g) of which sugars 12.50 (g)
- Proteins 49.57 (g)
- Fat 285.22 (g) of which saturated 51.69 (g)of which unsaturated 205.10 (g)
- Fibers 4.40 (g)
- Sodium 293.40 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 375 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients
- 14.11 oz tuna (fresh in fillets)
- Half cup red wine vinegar (plus two tablespoons)
- 3/4 cup semolina flour
- 2 onions (large dry golden)
- 4 tomatoes (ripe medium size)
- 2 tablespoons tomato puree
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- to taste salt
- to taste extra virgin olive oil
- to taste peanut oil (for frying)
- to taste black pepper (preferably freshly ground)
Tools
- Mandoline
- Pan large for frying
Steps
To prepare the tuna with onion and tomato in sweet and sour sauce, start by finely slicing the onions with the mandoline.
Then clean the ripe tomatoes, removing the skin and seeds, and cut them into small pieces.
Sauté the onions for a few minutes on high heat with extra virgin olive oil.
Salt and pepper to taste.
Continue cooking on low heat with a lid for about ten minutes, then add the tomatoes that we had prepared.
Add 2 tablespoons of tomato sauce.
Stir occasionally and, if necessary, add a little water to the pan until the onion is cooked and the tomato is softened, taking on a cooked aroma.
This will take about another 10 minutes.
When ready, add 1 heaping tablespoon of sugar and two of red vinegar, stirring and leaving on the heat for a few more minutes.
Turn off the heat once the onion no longer emits that intense initial vinegar smell, but instead gives off a more mature and aromatic scent.
At this point, wash about 14.11 oz of tuna under running water.
Then let it sit for a few minutes in plenty of water with half a cup of red vinegar added.
Drain, pat dry with paper towels, and coat the tuna in semolina flour.
Meanwhile, heat a non-stick pan with plenty of peanut oil and, when it’s hot enough (so that bubbles form around the handle of a wooden spoon dipped into the oil), fry the tuna steaks, turning them halfway through cooking.
Adjust cooking times based on the thickness of the steaks; the tuna should be cooked but after this stage, do not prolong the cooking time to avoid making it dry.
Then place the fish on paper towels and salt the surface.
Place the tuna on a serving plate and pour the “cipollata” over it, not forgetting the light gravy that characterizes it.
Serve hot with freshly ground black pepper on top.
The tuna with onion and tomato in sweet and sour sauce is now ready.
The advice is to consume the dish as soon as it’s ready. If necessary, store the tuna and onion in the refrigerator tightly sealed in an airtight container for a day.
The advice is to consume the dish as soon as it’s ready. If necessary, store the tuna and onion in the refrigerator tightly sealed in an airtight container for a day.
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