Sunday Family Dinner

The thing I love about Sunday's... besides the football game... is that it brings everyone together for a delicious family dinner.

Often we are racing around on weeknights, throwing together quick meals, but on SUNDAYS it's nice to take our time and make an amazing meal that fills the house with great smells and even better company.

For those of us residing in the Midwest we can count the days left that we are still able to grill out on one hand. So let's take advantage!

Try this succulent grilled tuna with a sweet yet tart Mediterranean tomato sauce complimented by fresh garlic basil. In other words, YUM!

Thank you 'Cooking Light' for this amazingly delicious recipee that my entire family loved!

Grilled Tuna with Basil and Fresh Tomato Sauce (makes 4 servings)

Basil Butter:
3/4 cup fresh basil leaves
2 tablespoons butter, softened
*I know you're thinking, really butter?! Two tablespoons divided 4 ways is 1/2 a tablespoon per person. Try to buy a light butter, butter substitute, or there's always OLIVE OIL.
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 garlic cloves, minced

Tomato Sauce:
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 cup finely chopped red onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 cups grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup dry white wine
3 tablespoons capers
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Tuna:
4 (6oz) tuna steaks (about 1 inch thick)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Cooking Spray
4 basil leaves (optional)

Directions:

1. Prepare Grill or Broiler
2. To prepare basil butter, combine first 5 ingredients in a food processor; process until smooth, scraping sides as needed.
3. To prepare sauce, heat oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion and 2 garlic cloves; saute 3 minutes. Add tomatoes; saute 2 minutes. Stir in wine, capers, vinegar, and sugar; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in parsley.
4. To prepare tuna, sprinkle tuna with 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper. Place tuna on grill rack or broiler pan coated with cooking spray. Cook 5 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness. Serve with basil butter and tomato sauce. Garnish with basil leaves, if desired.

Serving Size: 1 (6oz) Tuna Steak with 3/4 cup sauce, and 1 tablespoon basil butter

Nutrition:

• Calories: 323 (Not bad for such a hearty meal!)
• Fat: 10.2g
• Protein: 41.8g (Wow!)
• Carbs: 10.9g
• Fiber: 2.4g
• Cholesterol: 92mg
• Iron: 2.7mg
• Sodium: 770mg
• Calcium: 72mg

Reference:
The Best of Cooking Light 2004.