The balsamic citrus vinaigrette with mushrooms and peppers makes a great topper for tuna with tarragon and cilantro. The tuna is seared in a skillet and then finished in the oven.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients:
- Tuna:
- 1-1/2 pounds tuna steaks, preferably yellowfin
- 2 teaspoons minced fresh tarragon
- 2 teaspoons minced fresh cilantro
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 3/4 cup olive oil, divided
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
- .
- Citrus Vinaigrette:
- 2 teaspoons minced shallot
- 1 cup (3 ounced) sliced stemmed shiitake mushrooms
- 1 cup Chardonnay or other dry white wine
- 1 cup balsamic vinegar
- 1 cup fresh orange juice
- 1 each green, red, and yellow bell pepper, seeded, deribbed, and cut into 1/16-inch-thick julienne
- Mixed greens
Preparation:
To prepare the tuna:Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Rinse the tuna and pat it dry with paper towels. Combine the tarragon, cilantro, pepper, 1/4 cup of the olive oil, and the lemon juice in a shallow non-aluminum pan. Add the tuna and marinate it for a total of 10 minutes, turning it once.
Remove the tuna steaks from the marinade and pat them dry on paper towels. Heat the remaining 1/2 cup olive oil in a medium saute pan or skillet over high heat. Sear the tuna steaks for 1 to 2 minutes on each side. Transfer the tuna to a baking dish and bake in the preheated oven for 3 minutes for rare and 5 minutes for medium-rare.
To make the vinaigrette:
Lower heat to medium and add the shallots and mushrooms to the saute pan or skillet. Saute for 1 minute and add the wine. Increase the heat to high and stir the mixture to dislodge the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Boil until the liquid is reduced by half, then add the balsamic vinegar and cook to reduce again by half. Add the orange juice and cook for 1 minute. Add the mixed peppers and cook for 1 to 2 minutes; the peppers should remain brightly colored and firm.
To serve:
Arrange the mixed greens on each plate, then top with a spoonful of the vinaigrette and the pepper salad. Remove the tuna from the oven and place it on the peppers. Garnish each plate by sprinkling the fresh herbs around the fish.
Yield: 4 servings
Recipe Source: Great Chefs of the East by Ellen Brown (Great Chefs Publishing)
Reprinted with permission.
