Abstract: A method and apparatus for contacting heart valve tissue with a catheter tip electrode adapted for atrioventricular (AV) node mapping and modification is provided. The tip is conformed to rest stably and comfortably on a cardiac valve such as the mitral or tricuspid valve. The tip has a peanut shape consisting of two electrode lobes joined by a narrower connecting piece. The tip rests on the valve at the connecting piece and is secured by the adjoining lobes. The connecting piece itself may either be insulating or electrically conductive. The catheter may also include standard mapping and/or pacing electrodes. The catheter may further include a steering mechanism for positioning the catheter at various treatment sites in the heart.