Herbed Tuna with Citrus Vinaigrette
Using vinaigrette dressings as sauces is one of the important trends in New American cuisine. This easy, colorful, and delicious one-dish meal needs only a crusty loaf of bread and some steamed rice to complete it.
Ingredients
- Tuna Steaks - 1-1/2 pounds, preferably yellowfin
- Fresh Tarragon - 2 teaspoons, minced
- Fresh Cilantro - 2 teaspoons, minced
- Freshly ground black pepper - 1 teaspoon
- Olive Oil - 3/4 cup
- Fresh lemon juice - 1/4 cup
- Citrus Vinaigrette
- Shallots - 2 teaspoons, minced
- Shiitake Mushrooms - 1 cup (3 ounces), sliced, stemmed
- Chardonnay or other Dry White Wine - 1 cup
- Balsamic Vinegar - 1 cup
- Fresh Orange Juice - 1 cup
- Green, Red, and Yellow bell pepper - 1 each, 1 each green, red, and yellow bell pepper, seeded, deribbed, and cut into 1/16-inch-thick julienne
- Garnish
- Mixed baby greens - 4 cups (4 ounces)
- Fresh Cilantro - 2 tablespoons, minced
- Fresh Tarragon - 2 tablespoons, minced
Instructions
To prepare the tuna: Preheat the oven to 350 F. Rinse the tuna and pat it dry with paper towels. Combine the tarragon, cilantro, peppers, 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 shallot and mushrooms to the saute pan or skillet used for the tuna. 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.
