A useful technique for any dark-fleshed fish, including whole mackerel or bluefish (which may be stuffed with the onion mixture), steaks of Spanish mackerel, or fillets of pompano; adjust the cooking time accordingly. I really like pasta before this—something quite simple, like Pasta with Pepper and Cheese (page 547) or Pasta with Broccoli Raab (page 552).

　　

Ingredients

makes 4 servings

　　1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus a little more to taste

　　1 large onion, roughly chopped

　　1 tablespoon minced garlic

　　1 small fresh chile, a piece of jalapeño, or cayenne to taste, optional

　　1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves

　　Several fresh tarragon leaves or 1/2 teaspoon dried or 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves or 1/2 teaspoon dried

　　1/2 cup fresh bread crumbs (page 580)

　　Salt and black pepper to taste

　　2 lemons, thinly sliced

　　4 small or 2 large tuna steaks, 1 1/2 to 2 pounds total

　　Juice of 1 lemon

　　

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 450°F. Put half the olive oil in a medium skillet or saucepan and turn the heat to medium; a minute later, add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes; add the garlic and chile if you’re using it and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 1 minute more. Turn off the heat and stir in the parsley, tarragon, and bread crumbs, along with some salt and pepper.

　　

Step 2

Layer half the lemon slices in the bottom of a small roasting pan. Rub the fish with the remaining olive oil, sprinkle it with salt and pepper, and place it in the pan. Put the onion mixture and remaining lemon slices on top of the fish.

　　

Step 3

Roast the fish until done, about 10 minutes for medium-rare (cut into it and take a look). Drizzle with the lemon juice and a little more olive oil and serve hot or at room temperature.

　　The Best Recipes in the World by Mark Bittman. © 2005 by Mark Bittman. Published by Broadway Books. All Rights Reserved.MARK BITTMAN is the author of the blockbuster The Best Recipes in the World (Broadway, 2005) and the classic bestseller How to Cook Everything, which has sold more than one million copies. He is also the coauthor, with Jean-Georges Vongerichten, of Simple to Spectacular and Jean-Georges: Cooking at Home with a Four-Star Chef. Mr. Bittman is a prolific writer, makes frequent appearances on radio and television, and is the host of The Best Recipes in the World, a 13-part series on public television. He lives in New York and Connecticut.