Potatoes with pesto; seared tuna

Tonight's recipe begins in the morning. Sleep in, and show up at the Farmers' Market late. While there, discover that there is a sale, and buy

• 3 bunches of basil.

Upon returning home, remember that you have another bunch in the fridge, and therefore commit to putting up a few tuperwares of pesto in the freezer. Then discover that you only have

• 1/4 cup pine nuts.

In your new cast-iron pan, toast the pine nuts and

• 1 head garlic, peeled.

Blend pine nuts and garlic in the blender, with

• 1/4 cup olive oil.

Since you do not have a food processor, you must mince the basil before adding it to the blender, lest the leaves wrap around the blades. Also mince and blend

• as much parsley as the garden will yield, about one bunch.

Fill two tupperwares with the resulting pesto, label, and freeze.

Transfer the final third of the pesto to a medium-large serving bowl. Add and mix ing

• 1/4 cup sweet cream
• 1/2 cup grated pecorino romano.

Wash and quarter

• 1.5 lb small potatoes

and boil ten minutes in salted water. Drain the potatoes and stir into the pesto.



Heat the cast iron pan and sauté

• 1 spring white onion, sliced, with the greens
• 1 handful sesame seeds
• lots of olive oil.

When the onions have started to turn translucent, add

• 1 lb sashimi-grade tuna

and sear, turning from side to side as it cooks. When the outer centimeter of the fish has cooked, but the middle is still cool and pink, remove from heat, cut in half with a serrated knife, and serve.