Pistachio-Crusted Tuna Steaks

From EatingWell: November/December 2007 — Subscribe Now!

Pistachio crust teams up with a savory mustard-dill sauce for an exceptional tuna dish. Choose “sushi grade” tuna steaks if you prefer a milder flavor. Make it a meal: Serve with brown rice and steamed broccolini.

4 servings

Active Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Nutrition Profile

Ingredients

1 tablespoon thinly sliced shallot
1 bay leaf
1/2 cup white wine
3 tablespoons reduced-fat sour cream
2 teaspoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons chopped fresh dill, divided
1 teaspoon whole-grain mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
1/4 cup coarse dry breadcrumbs, preferably whole-wheat (see Note)
1/4 cup shelled pistachios
4 4-ounce tuna steaks, 1-1 1/4 inches thick
1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil

Preparation

Place shallot, bay leaf and wine in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce until the wine is almost evaporated, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat, discard bay leaf and transfer to a small bowl. Add sour cream, lemon juice, 1 teaspoon dill, mustard and 1/4 teaspoon salt; stir to combine.
Put breadcrumbs, pistachios, the remaining 1 teaspoon dill and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a blender or food processor. Process until finely ground. Transfer to a shallow bowl. Dredge both sides of the tuna in the pistachio mixture.
Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the tuna and cook until browned, adjusting the heat as necessary to prevent burning, 4 to 5 minutes per side for medium-rare. Serve with the lemon-dill sauce.

Tips & Notes

Note: We like Ian's brand of coarse dry whole-wheat breadcrumbs, labeled “Panko breadcrumbs.” Find them in the natural-foods section of large supermarkets. Or, make your own breadcrumbs: Trim crusts from firm sandwich bread. Tear the bread into pieces and process in a food processor until coarse crumbs form. One slice makes about 1/3 cup. Spread the breadcrumbs on a baking sheet and bake at 250°F until dry and crispy, about 15 minutes.

Nutrition

Per serving: 241 calories; 7 g fat (2 g sat, 3 g mono); 55 mg cholesterol; 8 g carbohydrates; 29 g protein; 1 g fiber; 402 mg sodium; 635 mg potassium.

Nutrition Bonus: Selenium (60% daily value), Magnesium & Potassium (18% dv)

1/2 Carbohydrate Serving

Exchanges: 1/2 starch, 4 lean meat