Rosemary Tuna with White Beans and Kale

I think we all have a certain type of recipe we clip again and again or ingredients that sing out to us, convincing us of yet another way to approach brussels sprouts or chicken sausage we must try. My mom, for instance, rips out one recipe after another for black bean salads flecked with grape tomatoes and cilantro and big, triple-tiered snowy white coconut cakes. I, on the other hand, am seduced time and again in my search for the perfect potato gratin and cannot pass up anything that includes white beans or kale, preferably together.

And so I stumbled across this recipe one weeknight. Though it can't be made ahead of time, I think this would make a good fancy dinner party main course for the thrifty host; you can really stretch one tuna steak between two people. And though the ingredients and preparation are simple, the flavors are quite complex.

I learned my tuna lesson the hard way when I cooked Sebastian a tuna steak in the provencal style and watched it turn from bright red to gray-white on the stovetop. He prefers his tuna, he gently told me, utterly pink inside. And though the chef who taught me a thing or two would be loathe to know I served it forth at this state ("all fish should be medium!"), I might be on Sebastian's side on this one.

And you? Do you notice your recipe file has one page after another of croque monsieur or German chocolate cake or just about anything with fennel?

Rosemary Tuna with White Beans and Kale
Serves 2 with lots of beans and kale or 4 if you split the tuna steaks
adapted from Martha Stewart.com

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 garlic cloves, 1 thinly sliced and 1 minced
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
2 6-8 ounce tuna steaks
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 cup thinly sliced kale
3/4 cup water
1 15.5 ounce can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 1/2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
salt and pepper

In a skillet over moderate heat, add 1 tablespoon olive oil and the sliced clove of garlic. When the garlic begins to sizzle, turn off the heat, pluck it out of the oil and discard, and stir in the rosemary. Then pour rosemary oil into a bowl to cool.

Season tuna steaks generously with salt and pepper, rub with half the rosemary oil and let sit for at least fifteen minutes. Pour a glass of wine and check your horoscope.

Heat remaining tablespoon oil in skillet over moderately-high heat and add tuna steaks. Cook until taking on a beautiful golden color, about 1 minute per side. Remove to a plate.

Turn the heat down to medium, and add crushed red pepper, thyme, and the minced garlic clove and cook just until the garlic becomes aromatic, about 1 minute. Add kale and cook until wilted, about 2 minutes. Add water, raise heat, and simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in beans and simmer for two additional minutes (and yes, I set timers), before turning off the heat, and stirring in the red wine vinegar and more salt and pepper, if you think the dish needs it.

Slice the tuna and serve atop the beans and kale mixture, drizzled with the remaining rosemary oil.