Sicilian Tuna Steak with Orange and Capers

    

  
Spring and summer cooking to me mean fresh and light.  Spring conjures up our first vegetables of the season: asparagus and peas for example.  Summer has its traditional vegetables, but it also means citrus flavors: lemon, lime and orange.  A citrus salsa is a great way to brighten up a fish dish.  An alternative is to work the citrus flavor into the sauce.  A recipe with this theme recently appeared in the Food section of the local paper.  It combined the citrus of summer with the Sicilian themes of tuna, onions and capers.  I also used a portion of the sauce to infuse couscous I paired with the dish, mixing some in when the fish was done.  The original recipe also called for adding 4 anchovy filets.  I intended to, but found the cupboard bare of anchovies when I went to make this dish.  The anchovies will impart a savory flavor to the dish.  I'm sure it would be good that way, but it was certainly wonderful without when I went ahead with the rest of the recipe.  Softening the shallots first helped mellow the orange flavor so that it wasn't too acidic.  Best of all, this dish was done in about 15 minutes.  Take that 30 minute meals!  Serves 2.
     
Ingredients:
2 tbsp pistachios, pine nuts or almonds
1/2 cup chicken stock
2 tbsp golden raisins
1/2 cup couscous
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tuna steaks
salt/pepper
2 shallots, sliced 
1 tbsp capers
juice of 2 oranges
     
Directions:
Warm a small pan over medium heat and toast the nuts until golden, taking care to watch and not allow to burn.  Add the chicken stock and raisins and bring to a boil.  Add the couscous, stir, cover and turn off the heat.  Heat the oil in a medium saute pan and season the tuna steaks with salt and pepper.  When the oil is hot, add the steaks and brown on each side, approximately 2 minutes per side.  Remove the steaks to a plate, cover and turn the heat down to low.  Add the shallots and soften for a few minutes.  Add the capers and orange juice and bring to a simmer.  Return the tuna steak to the sauce and turn to coat.  If a cooked through steak is desired, cover and simmer a few minutes.  If a rare steak is desired, remove the steaks to their serving plates and with a slotted spoon top with the onions and capers.  Poor half of the sauce over the steaks and the other half into the couscous.  Stir/fluff the couscous with a fork spoon and out alongside the tuna.