Tuna with White Beans and Sun-Dried Tomato Sauce Recipe

This light and lovely main course comes from executive chef Jeff Tunks at the acclaimed DC Coast in Washington, D.C.

Makes 4 servings.

INGREDIENTS

1cup dried great northern beans (about 6 1/2 ounces)5cups chicken stock or cannedlow-salt chicken broth7tablespoons olive oil

1/2cup chopped onion

1/2cup chopped carrot

1/2cup chopped celery

5teaspoons chopped fresh thyme or 2 teaspoons dried

1tablespoon grated lemon peel

46- to 8-ounce ahi tuna steaks (each about 3/4 to 1 inch thick)
sun-dried tomato sauce

DIRECTIONS

Place beans in medium bowl. Add enough cold water to cover beans by 3 inches. Let stand overnight. Drain.

Combine beans and stock in large saucepan. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium; cover and simmer until beans are just tender, about 1 hour. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup cooking liquid.

Heat 3 tablespoons oil in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add onion, carrot and celery and sauté until almost tender, about 5 minutes. Add thyme and lemon peel and stir 1 minute. Add beans, reserved 1/2 cup cooking liquid and 2 tablespoons oil and toss until heated through, about 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove from heat. Cover to keep warm.

Heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in another heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle tuna with salt and pepper. Add tuna to skillet and cook to desired doneness, about 3 minutes per side for medium.

Spoon beans onto center of each of 4 plates, dividing equally among plates. Top each with tuna steak. Spoon Sun-dried Tomato Sauce over tuna steaks and serve immediately.

Tags: Beans, Dried, Sauce, Sun, Tomato, Tuna, White