Seared Tuna with Ginger-Shiitake Cream Sauce

Ingredients
4 8-ounce tuna steaks, each about 1 inch thick
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons peanut oil
3 tablespoons butter
1/3 cup thinly sliced green onions
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
2 tablespoons finely chopped peeled fresh ginger
4 garlic cloves, chopped
8 ounces fresh shiitake mushrooms, stemmed, caps sliced
6 tablespoons soy sauce
1 1/2 cups whipping cream
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
Lime wedges (optional)
Fresh cilantro sprigs (optional)

Preparation

Sprinkle both sides of the tuna with black pepper. Set aside.

Heat skillet over medium heat. Add butter, sliced green onions, cilantro, ginger and chopped garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Mix in mushrooms and soy sauce and simmer 30 seconds. Add whipping cream and simmer until sauce lightly coats back of spoon, about 3-5 minutes. Stir in lime juice. Remove from heat.

Heat another skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of peanut oil. Place tuna steaks, pepper side down, in hot oil and sear 2 minutes. Turn tuna over and continue cooking to desired doneness, about another 2 minutes for rare.

Spoon sauce onto plates; arrange tuna atop sauce. Garnish with lime wedges and cilantro sprigs, if desired.