tuna steak piccata

my husband and i both love piccata sauce on just about anything. i've done salmon, chicken, sole, and even just plain pasta when we're in the mood but don't have anything else in the house to add to it. last night i decided to try my hand at a new twist - tuna steak piccata.

quick disclaimer before i get into the full recipe: like many, i have a tendency to "doctor" recipes when i cook. i rarely follow them to the letter, even (or especially!) when attempting a new dish. i get bored easily and unless i'm sure something is absolutely perfect, i always tinker around - even with a recipe i make all the time. i know that many people do this, but i wanted to put it out there before i start sharing my favorite things to make - i don't use exact measurements unless baking, so these are just suggested amounts. feel free to play around - that's one of my favorite things about cooking, and it helps dishes to truly feel like my own.

you will need:

1-2 medium tuna steaks 

(or whatever else you prefer - chicken is classic, fish is delicious)

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 cup white wine - i normally use pinot grigio or sauvignon blanc, 

but this time around i'm trying a dry chenin blanc

1/2 clove of garlic

2 tablespoons drained capers

1 tablespoon butter

1 teaspoon cornstarch

2 teaspoons flour

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon finely chopped parsley

salt

pepper

fresh tuna steaks are always best, but frozen steaks will work too, especially if you marinade them for a few minutes. i marinated mine for about 20 minutes with a few teaspoons of lemon juice, a dash of olive oil, and sprinkles of pepper, parsley and basil. 

warm a little oil in a large saucepan, and add your fish. 

i like to add a little salt and pepper once they've hit the pan. 

tuna steaks cook quickly, so only cook for about three minutes on each side.

pull your steaks out of the pan and let them rest for about five minutes. they'll finish 

cooking through the center at this point, but you want them to be slightly pink on the inside. this will keep them nice and moist.

to the same pan, add capers, garlic, lemon juice, parsley, and half of the white wine. let this simmer for about five minutes - the sauce will start to thicken. add the remaining wine, cornstarch, and flour. bring the sauce up to a boil, then add the butter, stirring continuously. 

once fully thickened, remove from heat.

most people toss the sauce first with linguini or angel hair pasta, then plate under the fish. i prefer to use penne or rigatoni, and i also like to plate the pasta and tuna, then spoon the sauce over both so that the tuna gets a decent amount of sauce. 

i served my piccata last night with a green salad and crusty bread - my husband always demands lots of bread with this sauce so that he can get every last drop. yum!