Seafood Recipe: Pepper-Seared Yellowfin Tuna

Pepper-Seared Yellowfin Tuna

Ingredients:

• 4 (8-ounce) yellowfin tuna steaks
• 4 ounces goat cheese
• 1 ounce sun-dried tomatoes, reconstituted and sliced
• 8 shiitake mushrooms, stems removed
• 8 large basil leaves
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
• 6 tablespoons olive oil - divided use
• Freshly ground black pepper

Procedures:

1. Preheat oven to 400°F (205°C).
2. Combine garlic with half the olive oil; set aside.
3. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Place mushroom caps top-side down and sear until slightly crisp; turn and sear briefly. Remove from heat and set aside.
4. Make a pocket in the tuna steaks by slicing in half horizontally; do not slice all the way through. Stuff each tuna steak in the following order with 1 ounce goat cheese, 1/2 ounce sliced sun-dried tomatoes, 2 mushrooms and 2 basil leaves. Brush inside of top flap with garlic oil. Season outside of steaks with freshly ground black pepper; set aside.
5. Heat remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large, oven-proof sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add stuffed tuna steaks to pan and sear until brown. Carefully turn over each steak and sear on other side. Place in oven and bake 5 to 10 minutes, or until thoroughly done.

Makes 4 servings.