1tablespoonolive or safflower oilor oil of your choice
salt and pepper
Instructions
Prepare asparagus
Preheat the oven to 400° F.
The woody root end of the asparagus needs to be snapped off before cooking. Take the end of the asparagus between your thumb and forefinger and bend until it breaks; the asparagus breaks (or snaps) where the woody part ends and the fresh delicious juicy asparagus begins.
Drizzle a small amount of oil in a 13x9-inch baking pan. Place trimmed asparagus in the pan, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and drizzle with oil. Roll the asparagus back and forth to coat them with the oil. Bake in the 400° oven for about 15 minutes, or until the asparagus is bright green and tender when pierced with a fork. Set aside.
Prepare potato puree
Reheat the potato soup in the microwave, and spoon a shallow serving, about 1/3 cup, onto the serving plate. Top the soup with 3-5 asparagus per serving.
Prepare tuna
Heat a large grill pan over medium-high heat. Add the oil and allow the oil to heat just until it’s about to smoke; it will begin to shimmer.
While the pan is heating, pat the tuna dry with a paper towel, and season on both sides with a small amount of oil, salt, and fresh pepper. (I pour a small amount of the oil in the palms of my hands and rub my hands with the oil on the fish. Sprinkle the oiled fish with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, and rub lightly with your hands to get the spices to stick to the fish.)
When the pan is hot, place tuna in the pan, making sure not to crowd the pan. Sear the tuna on both sides for about 2-3 minutes, depending on the thickness of the tuna. Test for doneness by inserting an instant read thermometer into the thickest part of the tuna. Look for 120° F for rare and up to 130° F for medium-rare. You’ll also be able to see the fish cooking on the side, so you can watch its progress. Sear each of the smaller sides of the tuna by holding the steaks with heavy tongs on each side of the tuna steak for a few seconds.
Place the seared albacore tuna on top of the asparagus on the serving plate. Serve immediately, and enjoy!