Seared Tuna, Roasted Tomatoes & Fennel With a Olive Sauce

Greek inspired but fresh flavors. Some fresh tuna, easy roasted fennel and tomatoes topped with a quick olive sauce. I love to serve with with some fresh arugula, mesculin or just pick up a bag of your favorite greens just tossed with olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper and some grilled pita bread simply brushed with garlic and olive oil. Very simple and quick. Simple fresh flavors. Sauteed chick peas, grilled fingerling potatoes or a 5 minute couscous would also make great simple side dishes.

• Ready In: 1 hr
• Serves: 4
• Yields: 4

Ingredients

• 4  tuna steaks (fresh if possible but frozen will work, thick cut preferred)
• 2  heirloom tomatoes, sliced (or you can use just a good red tomato if that is all you can find)
• 1  fennel bulb, sliced
• 2  tablespoons kosher salt (1 for the tuna, 1 for the tomatoes and fennel)
• 1 1⁄2 tablespoons ground black pepper (1 for the tuna, 1/2 for the tomatoes and fennel)
• 2  tablespoons olive oil (1 for the tuna, 1 for the vegetables)

• Sauce

• 3  tablespoons kalamata olives, chopped
• 3  tablespoons green olives, chopped
• 1  shallot (small and fine chopped)
• 3⁄4 cup white wine
• 2  tablespoons lemon juice
• 1  teaspoon lemon zest
• 1  teaspoon fennel seed, toasted (optional)
• 2  teaspoons garlic, minced
• 1⁄4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, to taste

Directions

1. Sauce -- Start to prepare the sauce. In a large NOT non stick pan which you will be cooking the tuna in add the fennel seeds over medium and just toast a few minutes to get lightly toasted. No oil, just a dry pan and will only take a minute. Remove when toasted and just set to the side.
2. Now if you don't have fennel seeds, don't panic. The dish will taste just fine. I just like that additional layer of flavor but don't worry and don't make a extra trip to the store just for them. They do however make a great additional to your spice cabinet.
3. Tuna -- Remove tuna from the fridge to take some of the chill off. I like to cook mine more and room temperature. Prepare all your vegetables. For the fennel, remove the green parts and slice like a onion.
4. Vegetables -- Roast your tomatoes and fennel in a 400 degree oven. On a cookie sheet covered with foil or parchment paper, lightly drizzle your tomatoes and fennel with olive oil, salt and pepper and roast 10 minutes, just until slightly brown and the tomatoes start to soften. Don't over cook you still want them fresh tasting.
5. Tuna round II -- As the tomatoes and fennel cook, start your tuna. Season well with salt and pepper and in that same pan you toasted the fennel seeds heat on medium high heat and add 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Sear the tuna until it gets a nice crust on one side without moving. Should take 3-5 minutes depending on the thickness. Thinner cuts will take much less and you do not want to over cook it. Flip over and the second size will take even less time. You want it rare - medium rare, so I usually remove when rare. Set to the side and cover with foil as you make the sauce.
6. Olive sauce -- in the pan that you cooked the tuna in, add the garlic and shallot and cook just a minute also on medium to medium high heat. You can add a little extra olive oil if necessary, but you shouldn't need any. Then add the white wine and red pepper flakes. Let cook another minute to reduce slightly. Then add the olives, lemon juice, zest, any additional salt and pepper if needed, but olives are salty so be careful. The last thing, stir in the fennel seeds and then just let simmer on medium for another minute just to slightly reduce. Remember, this is a thin sauce, not a gravy.
7. Plate it up! If using a salad like I mentioned in the description, I would plate the salad, then top with the tuna. Top with a slice or two of the tomatoes and a few fennel slices. Then drizzle the olive sauce over the whole thing. ENJOY!