Grill
Serves 4
Ingredients:
4 thick tuna steaks (about 6 oz)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
¼ cup olive oil
2 Tbs chopped fresh fennel leaves
2 Tbs chopped flat-leaf parsley
Dried fennel stalks
Cognac for flaming, warmed
Fresh fennel sprigs, tarragon sprigs and edible flowers for garnish
Grated zest of 2 tangerines
Tangerine Sauce (recipe follows)
Preparation:
Sprinkle tuna with salt and pepper, to taste.
In a small bowl, combine olive oil, fennel and parsley.
Grill tuna over hot coals about three to four minutes per side, until brown on the outside but slightly pink inside, basting with fennel oil.
Arrange fish over dried fennel stalks on a flame-proof platter.
Pour over warm Cognac and flame.
Spoon sauce onto individual serving plates.
Arrange tuna over sauce and garnish with herbs and edible flowers.
Sprinkle with tangerine zest.
Serve with remaining Tangerine Sauce.
Tangerine Sauce
Ingredients:
½ cup fresh tangerine juice
2 tsp chopped fresh tarragon
¼ cup unsalted butter, cut into four pieces
Preparation:
Bring tangerine juice and tarragon to a boil in a small saucepan.
Whisk in ¼ cup butter, piece by piece, until sauce thickens.
Gilbertie, Sal. Kitchen Herbs: The Art and Enjoyment of Growing Herbs and Cooking with Them: New York, Bantam Books, 1988