This is the precursor to my first entry to this blog, and I''m still not sure how I want to categorize everything, and how extensive the posts will be. I guess some of that will be determined on feedback (assuming people will actually read this thing). So, if you have any suggestions, by all means let me know.
Let me also start by saying that I rarely have an idea for a meal when I get to the store. Occasionally I'll crave a certain flavor, or I'll see something that piques my interest, but usually, I go into the market looking for what is fresh, or equally, what is on sale. Such was the case this evening. The local grocer had the best looking tuna steaks, and even better they were on sale.

So I immediately decided I would prepare my favorite tuna dish (if there is such as a favorite). Its a simple pepper-crusted tuna steak, with a pan sauce of garlic, tomatoes, white wine, cilantro and butter.
I saw some nice haricot verts, or petite french green beans, and decided to add those to the basket. I knew I had some tri-colored cous cous in the pantry, grabbed a leek, the other ingredients needed from the sauce list, a few more staples to replenish the cupboard, and home we went.

Cous cous is great, because it's simple. Equal parts cous cous and boiling water, a little oil or butter and what ever seasoning you want to add (fresh herbs, bouillon, dried fruit, the list really is endless). I simply use a dry vegetable base I get from the health food store, some salt, and olive oil. I usually make extra cous cous, so I use a plastic container to put the dry cous cous in, so when I'm done with dinner, I don't have to transfer the extra to the plastic. Anyway, put the dry cous cous in the container, add your seasonings and oil, bring the water to a boil, pour it over the cous cous, put the lid on the container, and set it aside until your ready to eat.

For the haricot verts, I blanched them in some salted water, drained them, sauteed some of the leek in some olive oil, and for something a little different, I used a slice of the Morning Star farms breakfast strips. In essence, its a fake bacon. It has the smokey flavor, just none of the health risks that bacon carries. If you're down with bacon, by all means, a little diced up, without the oil oil would be tasty.

For the tuna steak(s) I get a pan almost smoking hot, generously coat the steaks on both sides with fresh cracked pepper, and sear them on both sides. These steaks were nice and thick, so I probably cooked them a couple of minutes on each side to attain a medium-rare steak. I removed the steaks from the pan, add a touch more oil if dry, and toss in some fresh chopped garlic. Cook the garlic a few seconds until it lightly browns, but you don't want to burn the garlic. Depending on how many steaks you are cooking, add about 3/4 - 1 cup white wine. Any dry wine will do. Toss in some fresh diced tomato, and let the sauce simmer a minute or so. Turn the heat down, and toss in several pats of butter, stirring them in tomato, wine, garlic mixture. Once the butter is emulsified, a tablespoon of two of minced fresh cilantro stirred in, and your done.

To plate the dinner I simply put a small mound of cous cous in the center of the plate, top that with a large spoonful of sauce, place the green beans to one side, pour a glass of crisp white wine, and enjoy!