RECIPE

© Tina Rupp

Tuna with Provençal Vegetables

• Recipe by Bruce Sherman

Chef Way After Sherman poaches tuna in an exquisite homemade tomato oil, he serves it alongside an array of vegetables and homemade herbed pasta.
Easy Way Sear the tuna in a garlicky oil, then serve it with sautéed vegetables, omitting the pasta.

• Fast
• Healthy

Ingredients

1. 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2. 1 pound zucchini, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
3. 1 red bell pepper, cut into thin strips
4. 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
5. 4 thyme sprigs
6. 4 garlic cloves—2 thinly sliced, 2 halved
7. Salt and freshly ground pepper
8. 1 tomato, coarsely chopped
9. 1 small fennel bulb—halved, cored and sliced paper-thin
10. 1/4 cup pitted kalamata olives, coarsely chopped
11. 1 tablespoon drained capers
12. Four 5-ounce tuna steaks, cut 1 inch thick

Directions

1. In a large, deep skillet, heat 1/4 cup of the olive oil. Add the zucchini, bell pepper, onion, thyme and sliced garlic and season with salt and pepper. Cook over high heat, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are crisp-tender, about 7 minutes. Add the tomato, fennel, olives and capers, season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring, until the vegetables are tender, 2 to 3 minutes longer. Discard the thyme.
2. In a medium skillet, heat the remaining 1/4 cup of oil with the halved garlic cloves. Season the tuna with salt and pepper, add it to the skillet and cook over moderate heat for 3 minutes, turning once. Cover the skillet and cook the tuna over very low heat for 2 minutes longer; the tuna should still be slightly rare in the center.
3. Spoon the vegetables onto plates. Top with the tuna steaks and the browned garlic halves and serve.