Coriander-Crusted Tuna with Black Bean Salsa

It's just the beginning of March, but tonight I had a taste of summer.

Last summer I made various salsas to go with chicken and fish. Sure, they were all kind of similar, but you can't really go too wrong the combination of tomatoes, bell pepper, cilantro, and lime juice. I particularly like the combination of cilantro and lime.

When I was specifically looking for a recipe to cook tuna (the first one I made was a sesame-crusted tuna that I didn't really cook properly), I came across the recipe for Coriander-Crusted Tuna with Black Bean Salsa. I wasn't interested in it at all while the temperatures were freezing. Cold weather is hearty comfort food weather, not fresh, lively food weather. But now the weather's warmed up slightly, and so I finally decided to give it a shot when some produce was on sale. I figured even if the tomatoes and peppers weren't at their best, they'd still be worth trying. This also didn't have too many carbs, which meant that I could make it for me and Alex.

I made the salsa before I cooked the fish because I didn't want the fish to get cold. I used a can of regular, store-brand black beans, but I made sure to rinse them really well. I substituted about 2 cloves of garlic for the green onions, since I forgot to buy some, and I used an orange bell pepper. I dried off the tuna with paper towels before I seasoned and cooked it, and I think that helped me get a nice crust on the tuna. I cooked it in a nonstick skillet at medium-high heat, for closer to 3 minutes on each side than 2, since I wanted it a little more done. I served it with a little avocado on the side.

This dish cooked up pretty quickly - we were eating dinner within 30 minutes. Alex and I both really enjoyed this. The coriander and cumin were tasty on the fish, and it cooked really well in the skillet. The salsa tasted bright and fresh. It was a good combination of flavors, although it would have been better with the green onions instead of the garlic I added. Overall, this was a really good recipe, and I'd definitely make it again.