Anyone who knows me can tell you that I love sauces, and there aren’t many foods around that I won’t splash a sauce of some sort on.  Of course, when most people think of a sauce, they think of the butter and cream enriched sauces that form the backbone of classic sauce making – and yes, those sauces are amazing.  But although it would be nice to live in a world where everything came with a side of bernaise, there are other ways to get the pleasure of a tasty sauce without using any fat at all – like the savory balsamic glaze we made tonight to coat a couple of pan-seared tuna steaks.  In addition to our fish, we’ve also made a simple roasted cauliflower; and if you’ve never tried it this way (or don’t like cauliflower), I urge you to give this a go.

To make the roasted cauliflower, cut up an entire head into pieces.  You don’t have to make the pieces tiny; in fact, I rather like keeping them large.  Toss the cauliflower pieces in a mixing bowl with salt and olive oil until coated.  I think a good olive oil really is important here, and since Jess and I really like olive oils with a bit of a sweeter, fruitier flavor, I’ve been using a blended oil from California Olive Ranch called Miller’s Blend.  It’s only around $9 a bottle and tastes as good as oils twice the price.  Once you’ve gotten your cauliflower good and coated, spread the pieces out onto a cookie sheet.  You want to be sure not to crowd the pieces, because crowding will cause the florets to steam rather than roast.  Roast them in a very hot oven (around 400 degrees) for 25 minutes until they turn golden and have a few brown spots on them. Cauliflower cooked this way will have a sweet, nutty flavor that is completely different than the item steamed or boiled.  While that’s cooking, let’s get our fish ready.

Balsamic Glaze

• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 cup shrimp or chicken broth
• 1/2 teaspoon corn starch
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Combine all these ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil.  Cook for a minute or two over medium heat until the glaze has reached your desired thickness.  Adjust salt and pepper as needed, and if you really want a luscious hit of velvety-smooth deliciousness, take the pan from the heat when it has thickened and whisk in a tablespoon of butter.  The sauce stands up for itself nicely without this step, though, so it’s your decision.  Serve over tuna steaks that you’ve grilled, broiled, or pan-seared for about 3 minutes on either side for medium-rare. Enjoy!