Seared Tuna With Arugula Pesto Recipes

SEARED TUNA WITH PESTO

Steps:

• For the pesto, peel the garlic and chop coarsely. Toast the pine nuts in a dry frying pan until golden, remove and set aside. Rinse the basil, shake dry, pluck the leaves and puree along with the garlic, pine nuts and the oil in a blender.
• Fold in the freshly grated Parmesan and season with salt, pepper and a dash of lemon juice. For the tuna, rinse the tuna, pat dry, trim off tendons and season with salt and pepper. In a pan, heat the oil and sear the tuna on all sides briefly over high heat.
• Remove tuna from the pan, cut into slices and serve with the pesto on plates. If desired, serve with a green salad.

GRILLED TUNA WITH BASIL PESTO

Steps:

• Preheat grill to 400 degrees F.
• Wash and pat dry the tuna steaks. Season with salt and pepper and brush both sides with olive oil. Place tuna on hot grill and sear each side for 2 minutes for rare. If you prefer well done, cook the tuna an additional 2 to 3 minutes per side. Remove from skillet and let it rest.
• Into the bowl of a food processor, add the garlic, basil leaves, pine nuts, salt, and pepper. Pulse until finely chopped. With the blender still running, slowly pour 1/2 cup of olive oil. Check for a thick, yet smooth consistency, adding more oil if necessary. Transfer to a bowl and stir in 1/2 cup Parmesan.
• Slice the tuna across the grain and on a bias into 1/2-inch thick slices. Place the slices on a serving plate and drizzle with lemon juice. Sauce tuna with pesto.

SEARED TUNA WITH ARUGULA PESTO

Steps:

• 1 Rub the fish with a little oil and salt and pepper to taste. Cover and refrigerate until ready to cook. 2 To make the pesto: In a food processor, combine the arugula, basil, and garlic and process until finely chopped. Slowly add the oil and process until smooth. Stir in salt and pepper to taste. Cover and let stand 1 hour at room temperature. 3 In a large nonstick skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium heat. Add the tuna slices and cook 2 to 3 minutes per side or until browned on the outside but still pink in the center, or until done to taste. Test for doneness by making a small cut in the thickest part of the fish. 4 Serve the tuna hot or at room temperature, drizzled with the arugula pesto. From "1,000 Italian Recipes." Copyright 2004 by Michele Scicolone. Used with permission of the publisher, Wiley Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved.