Grilled Seafood Salad Niçoise

GRILLED SPICE-RUBBED SHRIMP "NICOISE" SALAD

Steps:

• Fill a large bowl halfway with ice water and set aside. Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Add the wax beans and green beans and cook until just crisp-tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Drain and immediately plunge into the ice water to stop the cooking. Let sit in the ice water a few minutes, then drain well.
• Meanwhile, put the potatoes in a medium saucepan, cover with salted cold water and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer until the potatoes are almost cooked through (a knife inserted into the center should meet just a little resistance), 8 to 10 minutes. Drain well; let cool slightly.
• Make the vinaigrette: Whisk the vinegar, mustard, honey, garlic and anchovy paste in a bowl and season with salt and pepper. Slowly whisk in 1/2 cup olive oil until emulsified.
• Preheat a grill to high. Slice the potatoes lengthwise, brush with 2 tablespoons olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place on the grill cut-side down and grill until browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Flip and grill until tender, 1 to 2 more minutes. Keep the grill on.
• Combine the wax and green beans, grilled potatoes, tomatoes, onion, basil and parsley in a large bowl. Add the vinaigrette and toss gently. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and set aside at room temperature.
• Prepare the shrimp: Combine the fennel seeds, mustard powder, coriander and 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper in a bowl. Add the shrimp and toss to evenly coat. Add 1/4 cup olive oil and toss to coat. Place the shrimp on the grill and cook until golden brown and slightly charred, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Flip the shrimp and continue grilling until just cooked through, 45 seconds to 1 minute. Divide the salad among 4 plates and top with the shrimp.

GRILLED TUNA SALADE NIçOISE

Steps:

• Make dressing:
• Whisk together vinegar, shallot, mustard, garlic paste, and anchovy paste in a small bowl until combined well, then add oil in a slow stream, whisking until emulsified. Whisk in thyme, basil, and salt and pepper to taste.
• Cook beans in a 4- to 6-quart pot of boiling salted water , uncovered, until crisp-tender, 3 to 4 minutes, then immediately transfer with a slotted spoon to a bowl of ice and cold water to stop cooking. Add potatoes to boiling water and simmer, uncovered, until tender, 15 to 20 minutes, then drain in a colander. Halve potatoes while still warm (peel if desired) and toss with 2 tablespoons dressing in a bowl, then cool.
• Prepare grill for cooking. If using a charcoal grill, open vents on bottom of grill, then light charcoal. Charcoal fire is medium-hot when you can hold your hand 5 inches above rack for 3 to 4 seconds. If using a gas grill, preheat burners on high, covered, 10 minutes, then reduce heat to moderately high.
• Brush tuna with oil and season with salt and pepper, then grill on lightly oiled rack, uncovered, turning over once, until browned on outside but still pink in center, 6 to 8 minutes total. Let tuna stand 3 minutes, then break into large (3-inch) pieces. Transfer tuna to a large platter and drizzle with 2 to 3 tablespoons dressing and top with capers.
• Transfer potatoes to platter with tuna, reserving bowl. Drain beans and pat dry. Toss beans in bowl with 1 tablespoon dressing and salt and pepper to taste, then transfer to platter. Toss lettuce in bowl with 2 tablespoons dressing and salt and pepper to taste, then transfer to platter. Toss tomatoes in bowl with 1 tablespoon dressing and salt and pepper to taste, then transfer to platter.
• Arrange olives and eggs on platter and sprinkle salad with parsley and/or basil. Serve salad with remaining dressing on the side.

GRILLED SEAFOOD SALAD NIçOISE

Steps:

• Make the dressing:
• In a small bowl whisk together the vinegar, the mustard, the anchovy paste, the thyme, the sugar, and salt and pepper to taste, add the oil in a stream, whisking, and whisk the dressing until it is emulsified.
• Reserve 2 tablespoons of the dressing in another small bowl, arrange the tuna pieces and the squash slices on a baking sheet, and brush them lightly with the reserved dressing. In a bowl toss the shrimp and the scallops with 2 tablespoons of the remaining dressing. Let the mixture stand for 15 minutes. In a kettle of boiling water cook the beans for 5 minutes, or until they are crisp-tender, drain them in a colander, and refresh them under cold water. In another bowl toss the beans with 3 tablespoons of the remaining dressing.
• On a rack set 4 to 6 inches over glowing coals grill the tuna for 2 1/2 minutes on each side, the shrimp for 4 minutes on each side, and the scallops and the squash for 6 minutes on each side, transferring the seafood and the squash as it is cooked to a platter. Line 6 plates with the lettuce, on each plate arrange 2 scallops, halved horizontally, 3 shrimp halves, and 1 piece of tuna, sliced diagonally, and divide the squash, beans, roasted pepper, tomatoes, and olives among the plates. Drizzle the remaining dressing over the salads or serve it separately.

NICOISE SALAD WITH GRILLED, OLIVE-OIL- MARINATED TUNA

Steps:

• Prepare a charcoal grill or preheat a broiler. Season the tuna generously with salt and pepper and grill or broil very close to the heat source until it is seared on the outside but still rosy in the center, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer the tuna to a small bowl and add the olive oil and sliced garlic. Cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hours or overnight.
• Place the potatoes in a large saucepan and cover with cold, salted water. Bring to a boil, lower the heat and simmer, covered, until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain, cool and slice the potatoes. Set aside.
• Bring another large saucepan filled 2/3 full of salted water to a boil and add the beans. Cook until the beans just begin to become tender, about 3 minutes. Drain the beans and immediately plunge them into a large bowl of cold water. When cooled, drain the beans and chop them in half if they are large. Set aside.
• Drain the tuna, reserving 5 tablespoons of the olive oil and discarding the rest. Place the reserved oil in a large bowl and whisk in the lemon juice, minced garlic, 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Add the potatoes, beans, tomato, parsley and olives. Toss well and season to taste with more salt and pepper. Using a sharp knife, slice the tuna on the bias into thin slices. Lay the slices carefully over the vegetables and serve.

MIXED SEAFOOD NICOISE SALAD

Steps:

• Dressing:.
• combine all ingredients in a jar with a tight fitting lid and shake until combined.
• Must be done at least 6 hours in advance.
• Let stand at room temperature.
• Salad:.
• Brush seafood with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
• Marinate red pepper and squash in a little salad dressing.
• Quarter new potatoes and boil 15 minutes; toss in enough dressing to coat.
• Steam or boil green beans 5 minutes and toss in a little dressing.
• Grill seafood and red pepper and squash.
• Assembly:.
• On a very large platter, place the potatoes in the center, surrounded by the green beans.
• Surround this with the shredded lettuce.
• Place the grilled seafood and vegetables atop the lettuce.
• Arrange eggs, bacon, olives, cheese, and tomatoes on platter.
• Place one anchovy fillet atop each half of egg.
• Salt and pepper the entire dish and drizzle with the remaining dressing.
• Let guests serve themselves from center of table.

GRILLED NICOISE SEAFOOD SALAD

Steps:

• Whisk together the vineger, mustard, and anchovy paste until smooth.
• In a slow stream whisk in olive oil.
• In a medium bowl combine the seafood and squash with 2 T.
• of the dressing, toss and let stand for 15 minutes.
• Grill tuna to preference.
• the Scallops and squash will take around 10 minutes total, and the shrimp around 8 minutes.
• On 4 plates cover each with red lettuce leaves and place one piece of cooked tuna steak on each, off centered.
• In a clean large bowl toss together the remaining veggies and olives with the grilled shrimp, scallops and squash.
• Add the remaining dressing, toss well and divide between the 4 plates.