Tuna Or Swordfish With Onion Confit

Preparation

1. Step 1

   Put olive oil in a 10- or 12-inch skillet, and turn heat to medium. Add onions, a good pinch of salt, pepper and thyme or bay leaf. Cook, stirring, until mixture starts to sizzle, a minute or two. Adjust heat so that you need to stir at most every 5 minutes to keep onions from browning as they soften. Cook at least 30 minutes.

2. Step 2

   Meanwhile, cut tomatoes in half and shake out seeds, then cut into ½-inch dice. Heat a grill until moderately hot.

3. Step 3

   When onions are very soft, almost a shapeless mass, season fish and grill, turning once, for a total of about 6 minutes for tuna, 8 to 10 minutes for swordfish; check for doneness by making a small cut in the center to peek inside. While fish is grilling, stir olives and tomatoes into onions, and raise heat; cook, stirring occasionally, until tomatoes liquefy and mixture becomes juicy. Taste, and adjust seasoning. Serve fish on a bed of onion confit, whole fish cut into serving portions.