Tuna Steaks With Fennel Food

TUNA STEAKS WITH FENNEL

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the leek and cook, stirring, until leeks are limp, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until the mixture is fragrant, 30 seconds to a minute. Add the fennel and a generous pinch of salt and cook, stirring often, until it begins to soften, about 5 minutes. Turn the heat to low, cover and cook slowly for 30 to 40 minutes, stirring often. Stir in the lemon juice, taste and adjust seasonings. The mixture should be very soft.
• Meanwhile, season the albacore steaks with salt and pepper and heat the remaining olive oil in another pan over medium-high heat. Sear the albacore steaks for 30 seconds on each side. Place on top of the fennel. Cover the pan, turn the heat down to medium-low and simmer for another 5 to 10 minutes, until the fish is cooked through.
• Sprinkle on the parsley and serve, laying the fish on top of the fennel, with lemon wedges on the side.

SPICED TUNA STEAKS WITH FENNEL AND RED PEPPERS

Steps:

• Lightly brush tuna steaks with some additional oil and season with salt. Crush fennel seeds and peppercorns coarse in a mortar with a pestle and press onto both sides of tuna steaks. Let tuna steaks stand on a plate 10 minutes.
• In a heavy non-stick skillet sauté fennel bulb in 1 1/2 tablespoons oil over moderately high heat, stirring, until golden. Add bell pepper and garlic and sauté 1 minute. Add water and simmer vegetables, covered, 10 minutes, or until fennel is tender. Remove lid and, if necessary, boil mixture until liquid is nearly evaporated. Add lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste and keep warm.
• While fennel mixture is cooking, brush a heavy skillet, preferably cast-iron, with some additional oil and heat over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking. Sauté tuna steaks 2 minutes on each side, or until barely pink in center, for medium meat. Transfer tuna steaks to plates and spoon fennel-pepper mixture over and around them.

FENNEL CRUSTED TUNA

Steps:

• Place toasted seeds, white pepper and salt in spice grinder. Grind to the size of coarse ground pepper. Brush outside of tuna with olive oil. Crust tuna loin with ground spice mixture. Sear tuna in a non-stick pan, using olive oil sparingly, approximately 45 to 60 seconds on all sides. Should be golden brown on the outside and pink in the center. Slice into 1 1/2 to 2-inch pieces and serve with papaya salad. Can be stored in the refrigerator tightly wrapped 3 to 4 hours before serving.

GRILLED FENNEL DUSTED TUNA WITH TOMATOES AND EGGPLANTS

Steps:

• Prepare ingredients for grilling: Heat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Cut the eggplants in half, toss them in some olive oil, and season them with salt and pepper. Put them cut side down on a baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, cut the tomatoes in half, toss them in some olive oil, and season them with salt and pepper; set aside. Toast the fennel seeds in a dry skillet over medium heat just until they become fragrant, about 1 minute. Grind them to a powder in a spice mill. Brush some olive oil onto the tuna steaks and sprinkle them with the ground fennel. Cover and refrigerate until ready to grill.
• Make the sauce: Cook the chicken stock with the lemon peel over medium-high heat for about 10 minutes, or until it has reduced by half. Take the pan off the heat and discard the lemon peel. Stir in the paprika and creme fraiche and season it with a little salt and pepper. Buzz the sauce with an immersion blender (or process it in a regular blender) until it is foamy.
• Get grilling: Heat the grill; brush the grate with some olive oil. Season the tuna with salt and pepper and drizzle over some olive oil. Grill them until medium-rare (or to your liking), about 3 to 4 minutes per side. Grill the tomatoes and eggplant until slightly charred. Put the grilled tomatoes and eggplant into a bowl and toss them with some of the sauce.
• To serve: Top the tuna steaks with the grilled tomato and eggplant salad. Spoon some more warm sauce over and garnish with torn basil leaves.

GRILLED TUNA AND FENNEL WITH LEMON-MINT VINAIGRETTE

Steps:

• Preheat a charcoal grill or a broiler. In a small bowl, whisk together the oil, lemon juice, soy sauce and salt. Set aside.
• Place the fennel in a large microwave-safe bowl, cover with plastic wrap and microwave on high until the fennel just begins to become tender, about 6 to 7 minutes. Drain the fennel and brush it lightly with the oil-and-lemon mixture. Grill or broil until lightly browned and very tender, about 8 to 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, brush the tuna with some of the oil-and-lemon mixture and grill or broil until seared but red in the center, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a platter and surround with the fennel. Combine the herbs with the remaining oil-and-lemon mixture and pour it over the tuna. Serve immediately.

TASTY TUNA STEAKS

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine the wine, soy sauce, ginger and garlic. Pour into a large resealable plastic bag; add the tuna steaks and bay leaf. Seal bag and turn to coat; let stand for 15 minutes. , Drain and discard marinade and bay leaf. In a large skillet, cook tuna in oil over medium-high heat for 4-6 minutes on each side for medium-rare or until slightly pink in the center.

SEARED TUNA WITH FENNEL-AND-LEMON SLAW

Steps:

• To make the slaw, whisk together in a large bowl the zest, lemon juice, olive oil, salt and black pepper. Add the fennel, toss and refrigerate for 1 hour. Carefully wrap the fennel fronds in plastic to keep them fresh, then refrigerate.
• When ready to serve, generously season the tuna on both sides with salt and pepper. Place a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat. When the skillet is very hot, add the oil and immediately add the tuna. Cook, turning once, until the tuna is seared on the outside but still very pink at the center, about 5 to 10 minutes depending on its thickness.
• Slice the tuna into thin slices. Lay them over 4 serving plates, place a mound of slaw in the center of each plate, garnish with the chopped fennel fronds and serve.