Active Time

　　30 min

　　Total Time

　　45 min

　　

Ingredients

Makes 4 servings

　　

For romesco sauce

4 dried New Mexico chiles

　　2 cups boiling-hot water

　　1 large red onion, halved and thinly sliced

　　3 garlic cloves, peeled

　　1 tablespoon olive oil

　　1/3 cup almonds with skins (raw; about 2 oz)

　　1 cup bread cubes (1/2 inch) from a 10-inch Italian or French loaf

　　4 bottled piquillo peppers

　　1 teaspoon paprika

　　1/4 cup red-wine or Sherry vinegar

　　1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

　　1/8 teaspoon salt

　　

For fish

8 (1-inch-thick) rectangular pieces center-cut sushi-grade yellowfin tuna (1/4 lb)

　　1/4 teaspoon salt

　　1/4 teaspoon black pepper

　　8 very thin slices serrano ham (about 1/4 lb)

　　1 tablespoon olive oil

　　

Start romesco sauce:

Step 1

Cover chiles with boiling-hot water and soak until softened, about 30 minutes.

　　

Step 2

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 400°F.

　　

Step 3

While chiles soak, toss onion and garlic with 1 tablespoon olive oil in a shallow baking pan, then spread out evenly and roast until golden, 15 to 20 minutes. Stir in almonds and bread cubes and roast until almonds are golden, about 10 minutes. Cool in pan on a rack.

　　

Make romesco sauce:

Step 4

Drain soaked chiles in a sieve set over a small bowl and reserve soaking water. Discard stems and seeds.

　　

Step 5

Blend soaked chiles (use caution when blending hot liquids), roasted bread mixture, piquillo peppers, paprika, vinegar, extra-virgin olive oil, and salt until smooth, adding reserved chile water, 1 tablespoon at a time, to thin to desired consistency.

　　

Prepare and cook tuna:

Step 6

Sprinkle tuna all over with salt and pepper and tightly wrap middle of each piece with a slice of serrano ham (ends of tuna will be exposed).

　　

Step 7

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over high heat until just smoking, then sear tuna, turning over once, until ham is golden brown and crisp but tuna is still very rare in center, about 3 minutes total.

　　

Step 8

Serve tuna with sauce.

　　Cooks' notes:

　　· The tuna in this recipe will not be fully cooked. · Romesco sauce can be made 2 days ahead and chilled, covered. Bring to room temperature before serving.