Grilled Tuna on a Bed of Roasted Peppers with Balsamic Vinegar Sauce

YIELD: 10 servings

Tuna:
3 3/4 lbs. tuna steak*
salt, as needed
pepper, as needed
vegetable oil, as needed

Roasted Peppers & Balsamic Vinegar Sauce:
8 fl. oz. balsamic vinegar
8 fl. oz. fish stock
2 oz. tomato concassè
1 oz. chopped herbs (thyme, tarragon, and/or chives, for example)
arrowroot slurry, as needed
2 oz. enoki mushrooms
3 oz. roasted green pepper julienne
3 oz. roasted red pepper julienne
3 oz. roasted yellow pepper julienne

1. For the tuna: Cut the tuna into 10 equal steaks, 5 to 6 oz. each. Season them with salt and pepper. Brush with oil. Allow any excess to drain away before placing on grill.
2. Place the tuna presentation side down on the grill or broiler rods. Grill or broil undisturbed for about 2 minutes. (Optional: Give each steak a quarter turn—90°—during broiling to achieve grill marks.) Turn the tuna over and complete cooking, about 2 to 4 minutes more.
3. Serve the tuna with the balsamic vinegar and pepper sauce.
4. FOR THE SAUCE: Combine the vinegar, stock, tomato concassè, and herbs. Bring the mixture to a simmer and thicken it lightly with arrowroot slurry. Add the enoki mushrooms . Add the peppers, and simmer the sauce for 2 to 3 minutes. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper.

*Note: Swordfish, mahi mahi or other firm meaty fish can be used.

Recipe from The Culinary Institute of America's The Professional Chef, 7th Edition (John Wiley & Sons, 2002). Photo Ben Fink/The Culinary Institute of America