October 1st – October 5th, 2007

Pan-Seared Tuna with Mandarin Orange Pico de Gallo

Yield:  4 servings; serving size:  ¼ - pound fillet and ½ cup orange mixture    
·        Cooking spray
·        ½ cup chopped red or yellow onion
·        ½ teaspoon bottled minced garlic
·        1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar or red wine vinegar
·        1 teaspoon firmly packed brown sugar
·        1/8 to ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
·        11-ounce can mandarin orange sections in light syrup, drained
·        1/3 cup chopped tomato
·        1/3 cup chopped avocado
·        1 tablespoon lime juice
·        2 tuna steaks (about 1 pound total)

Spray a medium saucepan with vegetable oil.  Place over medium-high heat.  Add onion and garlic and cook until onion is tender, about 5 minutes.  Stir in vinegar, brown sugar, and pepper flakes.  Cook and stir until sugar dissolves, about 2 to 3 minutes.  Remove from heat and stir in remaining ingredients except tuna.  Set aside. 

Rinse fish and pat dry.  Set aside.
 
Spray a large skillet with cooking spray.  Place over medium-high heat.  Add fish to hot skillet and cook about 5 minutes per side or until fish flakes easily with a fork.  Cut each steak in half to make 4 portions.  Serve fish with mandarin orange mixture. 

                                                          Brought to you by: Gretchen Austin, MSRD

                                                                        Quick and Easy Cookbook, American Heart Association,                                                                           © 1995.