Blackened Tuna Steaks With Mango Salsa

Tuna fish are truly a nutrient-dense food. An excellent source of high quality protein, tuna are rich in a variety of important nutrients including the minerals selenium, magnesium, and potassium; the B vitamins niacin, B1 and B6; and perhaps most important, the beneficial omega-3 essential fatty acids. Essential fatty acids are so named because they are essential for our health but cannot be made by the body; they must therefore be obtained from foods. Cold-water fish like tuna are a rich source of the omega-3 essential fats, a form of essential fatty acids in which the standard American diet is sorely deficient. (The other form of essential fatty acids, the omega-6s, are plentiful in a variety of commonly consumed oils such as corn and safflower oil. In fact, the omega-6s are so plentiful in the typical American diet that too much omega-6 is consumed in proportion to omega-3s--an imbalance that promotes inflammation, thus contributing to virtually every chronic disease in which inflammation is a key component.)  This recipe is fairly spicy, go easy on the seasoning if you're not a fan of hot spices. However, Cayenne is extremely healthy for the heart and is great for weight loss because it speeds up your metabolism.


Blackened Tuna Steaks With Mango Salsa

2 tablespoons organic olive oil 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed organic lime juice 2 cloves organic garlic, minced 4 fresh 3/4 inch thick Tuna steaks (Fresh tuna does not smell fishy.  If it does, it is not fresh.)   Mango Salsa 1 fresh organic mango - peeled, pitted, and chopped 1/4 cup finely chopped organic red bell pepper 1/2  organic Spanish white onion, finely chopped 1 organic green onion, chopped 2 tablespoons chopped fresh organic cilantro 1 organic jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed organic lime juice 1 1/2 teaspoons organic olive oil   Tuna Seasoning for Frying  1 to 2 tablespoons paprika 1/4 to 1/2  teaspoon cayenne pepper 1 tablespoon onion powder 1 to 2 teaspoons celtic sea salt 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1 teaspoon dried thyme 1 teaspoon dried basil 1 teaspoon dried oregano 1 tablespoon garlic powder 4 tablespoons olive oil

Directions:

1.	Whisk together the olive oil, lime juice, and garlic in a bowl. Rub the tuna steaks with the mixture. Place the steaks in a sealable container and chill in refrigerator 3 hours. The lime juice in the marinade actually "cooks" the tuna so that those who like the inside of the tuna rare such as myself don't have to worry about parasites.
2.	Combine the mango, bell pepper, Spanish white onion, green onion, cilantro, and jalapeno pepper in a bowl; stir. Add the lime juice and 1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil and toss to combine. Chill in refrigerator 1 hour.
3.	Stir together the paprika, cayenne pepper, onion powder, salt, pepper, thyme, basil, oregano, and garlic powder in a bowl. Remove the tuna steaks from the refrigerator and gently rinse with water. Squeeze very gently and lightly, pouring off some of the excess water, and then dip each side of each steak in the spice mixture to coat.
4.	Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Gently lay the tuna steaks into the hot oil. Cook the tuna on one side for 3 minutes; remove to a plate. Pour the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil into the skillet and let it get hot. Lay the tuna with the uncooked side down into the skillet and cook another 3 minutes; remove from heat immediately.
5.	Lay the tuna steaks on four plates and spoon about 1/2 cup of the mango salsa on top of each tuna steak.  Serve immediately..