Pickled tuna fillets - A great meze for your ouzo

This is really one of those delicacies that one should try out at least once! If you like your wine or ouzo and you would like to taste something different this is a great idea of what we call "meze dish". Its purpose though is not only this, it can also be served as a side dish next to recipes like the classic haricot bean soup or other recipes with dried pulses

Recipe of Makis Georgiadis,
from "Cook Book" magazine of "ETHNOS" newspaper

Ingredients for (4-6 people):
1 fresh tuna fish (1.000-1.200gr.)
cooking rock salt
1 hot fresh red chilli pepper
150ml of extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp of fresh Summer savory (or 1 tbsp of dried)
1 bay leaf
1/2 a lemon, the juice
1/2 a lemon, the zest

Method:
Ask your fishmonger to prepare the fish for you and then cut it into 3cm thick slices (discarding the head, the innards and every possible amount of blood the fish has on its spine. This is very important because even the slightest amount of blood left on will make the fish taste bitter later).

In a deep container with a lid add plenty of rock salt and then put on the top the tuna slices. Sprinkle on top with more salt, making sure that the fish is well covered.

Seal the container with the lid, put it in a shady and cool place and leave the fish to marinate for about 1 week.

Then take the fish out of the container and shake off the excess salt. Put the fish slices into a sterilised jar along with the oil, the hot pepper and the rest of the ingredients and seal with the lid. Keep in the fridge.

*** Every time you want to serve some of the meze you should leave the jar out of the fridge for 10-15 minutes. This will allow the oil to come back at room temperature because it tends to concentrate in the fridge.