15th Century Dalmatian Braised Tuna (Pasticada Od Tune)

This is recipe from 15th century from Split (Dalmatia). It was noted first time in Split around 1480. All ingredients from recipe can be found in Dalmatian region. Pasticada is meal you can make from meat but also large fish. Tuna is especially good for this recipe because of its meat structure. I haven’t tried this recipe yet, and I am posting it here to save it.

• Ready In: 50 mins
• Serves: 4
• Yields: 4 portions

Ingredients

• 1⁄2 cup olive oil
• 300  g onions (4 onions)
• 7  g cloves
• 3  garlic cloves
• 1  cup red wine
• 1  tablespoon vinegar
• 1000  g tuna fillets
• 1  teaspoon nutmeg (grounded)
• 2  cups  fish stock
• 10  g prunes (10 pieces)
• 15  g grapes (red, 10 pieces)

Directions

1. Spike onion with cloves and sauté it on olive oil until golden brown together with three garlic cloves. When sautéed, pour over red wine and vinegar.
2. When onion is soft, mash it with a fork (or that thing for potato).
3. Place tuna fillets on mashed onion, put three more cloves and grounded nutmeg and keep on stewing/braising, turning the tuna over all the time, keeping on adding wine and fish stock to keep it moist.
4. When fillet is dark on both sides, like the sauce in which it has been braised, take out the tuna, cut the meat into slices, sieve the sauce, put 10 prunes (without stone) and 10 grapes and cook it all together for a few minutes.
5. Serve with home made pasta.