iamnotachef

I realize that tuna is an expensive fish, but there is almost no waste, it tastes great, and it is full of those wonderful fatty acids that we are supposed to eat. I made this dish last night, and had I not known what I was eating, I would have sworn that it was a New York Strip steak. It went wonderfully with the sautéed tomatoes that you, hopefully, see below.

Marinated Tuna Steak

 

2-inch thick tuna steak, trimmed of skin and any connective tissue
2-3
oz. of good-quality extra virgin olive oil
1½
tsp. fresh thyme leaves (don’t chop them)
¼
tsp. fresh black pepper
1
tsp. lemon zest
½ tsp. kosher salt

Whisk the olive oil with the lemon zest and the thyme and pour over the tuna steak. Dredge the tuna through the oil so that it is completely covered in the oil-and-herb mixture. Cover and refrigerate for two hours. If you remember, turn the steak once or twice to ensure even marinating. Remove the steak from the refrigerator at least 30 minutes before cooking.

Preheat a heavy cast-iron skillet on medium-high heat for at least five minutes. Make sure that it is well seasoned; otherwise, the fish might stick to the pan. Meanwhile, remove the tuna from the marinade and salt and pepper both sides. leave whatever thyme and lemon has adhered to the fish. Turn the heat up to high for about one minute and place the tuna steak in the middle of the skillet. Do not move it or poke it; you are looking for a nice sear, and if you are impatient, the tuna will stick to the pan and you will have to order a pizza. The house is going to get a bit smoky, so turn the exhaust fan up to hurricane setting. With a large metal spatula, turn the fish, hopefully in one motion. After another three minutes, you have a choice of removing the tuna or searing the sides, as well. Just be careful not to overcook the tuna. Let the steak rest for a minute, then slice and serve. By the way, the cooking time above is for a rare steak (the only way to have it).

This is a recipe that my wife and I saw on Ina Garten’s TV show, barefoot contessa. It looked like fun, so we gave it a shot last night. It was more than fun — it was very, very good. The herbs are a perfect foil for the sweetness of the tomatoes. We ate them at slightly warmer than room temperature, but I think they would be great straight out of the pan (actually, I know they would be; I snagged a few while they were cooking). We served the tomatoes with marinated pan-seared tuna. I have not edited the recipe except for spelling, for obvious reasons.

Garlic and Herb Tomatoes

3 tablespoons good olive oil
2 teaspoons minced garlic (two cloves)
2 pints cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil, plus more for garnish
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, plus more for garnish
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme leaves
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Heat the olive oil in a sauté pan large enough to hold all the tomatoes in one layer. Add the garlic to the oil and cook over medium heat for 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes, basil, parsley, thyme, salt, and pepper. Reduce the heat to low and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, tossing occasionally, until the tomatoes begin to lose their firm round shape. Sprinkle with a little fresh chopped basil and parsley and serve hot or at room temperature.

This is a fairly rich bread, so don’t be fooled into thinking that you can eat four slices for breakfast and keep your trim figure. But it’s probably healthier than cake, and every kid who has come through my kitchen has seemed to like it. It is also a way to use those bananas that no one will eat because they are completely brown.

Banana Bread

4-5 over-ripe bananas
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
6 ounces (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 ½ teaspoons baking soda (mix into flour)
½ teaspoon salt (mix into flour)

Preheat oven to 350°

Butter a 9 by 5-inch loaf pan.

With an electric mixer, or even better, a stand mixer fitted with a whisk, whip the bananas and sugar together for a few minutes on the highest speed that won’t splatter banana on your ceiling; the goal is to blend the sugar thoroughly into the bananas and get some loft into the mixture.

Slow the speed to medium-low and add the eggs and vanilla; mix for 30 seconds or so and then slowly (especially if you didn’t have time to allow it to cool) add the butter. Mix in the dry ingredients at low speed for a few seconds, just until you can’t see any dry flour. Using a spatula, scrape the sides and bottom down and finish mixing by hand. Pour the batter into the buttered loaf pan. Whack the pan on the counter and then give it a bit of a shake until the batter is level.

Place the pan on a baking sheet to catch any overflow and bake for about 1 hour and 10 minutes. About is the important word here. After about an hour take a quick peek at the loaf. If it looks wet at the top then bake it for a few more minutes. Just make sure not to overcook it. I actually don’t like banana bread very much, but it is positively awful when it’s overcooked and dry. I make this for the little brats, who seem to devour it, especially when it is slightly underdone. They like banana bread more than they like raw bananas, so every time I buy bananas they carefully do not eat the last four, hoping that I will make this crap. It works. I hate being manipulated by children.

Oh, one more thing. This works fantastically as a muffin batter (Bake for about 32-34 minutes).