AVEC ERIC | Recipe | Seared Tuna Steak with Green Peppercorn Sauce and Romaine

RECIPE: Seared Tuna Steak from The Late Show with David Letterman

From Eric's 8/17/09 appearance on the Late Show with David Letterman

Serves 4

The Tuna:
3 tablespoons canola oil
4 6-ounce tuna steaks, about 1-inch thick
4 teaspoons herbes de Provence
fine sea salt and freshly ground pepper

The Sauce:
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 shallot, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
3 tablespoons green peppercorns, drained and lightly crushed
3 tablespoons butter
½ cup cognac
1 cup chicken stock
3 tablespoons cream
fine sea salt and freshly ground pepper

The Caesar Gratin:
1 head romaine lettuce heart, quartered lengthwise
½ cup rich Caesar dressing
½ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. Heat canola oil in a large sauté pan. Season the steaks generously with herbes de Provence, salt and pepper. When the oil is almost smoking, turn the heat down slightly, add tuna steaks and sear for 2-3 minutes until nicely crusted and browned. Turn the steaks and continue cooking for another 2 minutes for rare.

2. Remove the tuna steaks from the pan and add the shallot, garlic, green peppercorns and 1 tablespoon butter to the pan and caramelize lightly. Deglaze with the cognac, bring to a boil and flame off the alcohol. Add chicken stock and reduce by half. Whisk in 2 tablespoons butter and the cream; season to taste with salt and pepper.

3. While the sauce is reducing, heat a toaster oven to broil. Lay out the romaine lettuce on a toaster oven tray and brush with the Caesar dressing. Season to taste with salt and pepper and sprinkle the parmesan on top. Broil the romaine for about 3 minutes or just until the cheese melts and gets golden brown.

4. To serve, place tuna steaks back in the pan with the sauce to gently re-warm. Place the tuna in the center of a plate, spoon the sauce over and around the tuna and serve immediately with the romaine gratin on the side.

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