RECIPE

Ingredients

PUTTANESCA SAUCE

1. 1 large tomato—peeled, seeded and chopped
2. 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
3. 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
4. 1 garlic clove, quartered
5. 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
6. 2 marinated white anchovies (see Note), finely chopped
7. 4 Calamata olives, pitted and finely chopped
8. 1 teaspoon drained capers, chopped
9. Salt and freshly ground pepper

SUGAR SNAP PEAS

1. 1/2 pound sugar snap peas
2. 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
3. 2 garlic cloves, minced
4. 1 small shallot, minced
5. 1 medium tomato, cut into 1/2-inch dice
6. 1/2 teaspoon chopped thyme
7. 1/2 teaspoon chopped capers
8. Salt and freshly ground pepper

FENNEL FRITTERS

1. 2 medium fennel bulbs, trimmed and quartered
2. 2 cups all-purpose flour
3. Salt and freshly ground pepper
4. 2 large eggs
5. 1/4 cup milk
6. Vegetable oil, for frying

TUNA

1. Four 6-ounce tuna steaks, cut about 1 1/4 inches thick
2. 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
3. Salt and freshly ground pepper
4. 8 marinated white anchovies, for garnish

Directions

1. MAKE THE PUTTANESCA SAUCE: In a blender, puree the tomato with the vinegar, mustard and garlic. With the blender on, slowly pour in the olive oil until smooth. Scrape the sauce into a bowl. Stir in the chopped anchovies, olives and capers and season the puttanesca with salt and pepper.
2. MAKE THE SUGAR SNAP PEAS: In a medium saucepan of boiling salted water, blanch the sugar snaps until crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Drain and refresh in cold water. Reserve the blanching water.
3. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet. Add the garlic and shallot and cook over low heat until softened, about 2 minutes. Add the tomato and sugar snaps and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes. Add the thyme and capers and season with salt and pepper. Remove from the heat.
4. MAKE THE FENNEL FRITTERS: Preheat the oven to 300°. Bring the sugar snap blanching water back to a boil. Add the fennel quarters and cook until tender, about 8 minutes. Drain and let cool. Pat dry with paper towels.
5. Put the flour in a shallow bowl and season generously with salt and pepper. Crack the eggs into another shallow bowl and beat them with the milk. In a medium saucepan, heat 1 inch of vegetable oil to 350°. Dredge the fennel in the flour, then dip the wedges in the beaten eggs and dredge again in the flour. Working in 2 batches, fry the fennel, turning once, until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Transfer the fennel to a rack set over a rimmed baking sheet and keep warm in the oven.
6. MAKE THE TUNA: Light a grill or preheat a grill pan. Rub the tuna steaks with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill over high heat until deeply browned outside and rare in the center, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer the tuna to a cutting board and cut each steak into 1/3-inch-thick slices.
7. Reheat the sugar snaps and spoon them onto plates. Lay the sliced tuna on the plates and drizzle the puttanesca sauce around the fish. Set 2 fennel fritters on each plate, garnish with the whole anchovies and serve at once.

Notes

White marinated anchovies, called alici, are available at specialty food shops.