Seared Tuna Asparagus Niçoise Food

PAN-SEARED TUNA WITH AVOCADO, SOY, GINGER, AND LIME

Steps:

• In a mixing bowl, combine the cilantro, jalapeno, ginger, garlic, lime juice, soy sauce, sugar, salt, pepper, and 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Stir the ingredients together until well incorporated.
• Place a skillet over medium-high heat and coat with the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Season the tuna generously with salt and pepper. Lay the tuna in the hot oil and sear for 1 minute on each side to form a slight crust. Pour 1/2 of the cilantro mixture into the pan to coat the fish. Serve the seared tuna with the sliced avocado and the remaining cilantro sauce drizzled over the whole plate.

SALAD NICOISE WITH SEARED TUNA

Steps:

• To make the vinaigrette: combine all ingredients in a mason jar. Screw the cap on the jar and shake the vinaigrette vigorously to emulsify. Set the dressing aside while preparing the salad so the flavors can marry.
• Cooking the potatoes, eggs, and green beans in the same pot cuts down on prep time and clean up. To do this, put the potatoes in a large saucepan, add water to cover and a nice pinch of salt; bring to a boil over medium heat. Simmer the potatoes for 12 minutes to give them a head start, and then add the eggs. Place a steamer basket or colander on top of the simmering water. Put the green beans in the steamer and cover with a lid. Steam the beans for 5 minutes until crisp-tender while continuing to cook the potatoes until fork tender. Drain out the water and put the potatoes, eggs, and green beans in a colander; rinse briefly under cold water. Peel the shells off the eggs and cut them in 1/2 lengthwise.
• Place a large skillet over medium-high heat. Rub the tuna on all sides with olive oil, and a bit of the vinaigrette; season with a fair amount of salt and pepper. Lay the tuna in the hot pan and sear for approximately 2 minutes on each side; as the tuna cooks, the red meat will become whiter. Transfer the tuna to a cutting board and slice.
• To assemble the salad: combine the potatoes, green beans, tomatoes, olives, anchovies, capers, and chives in a large mixing bowl. Take the vinaigrette and give it another good shake to recombine. Drizzle the salad with enough vinaigrette to fully moisten and toss gently to coat; season with salt and pepper. Take care not to mush up the ingredients - the important thing about salad nicoise is that it is arranged nicely on a platter with all the elements keeping their individual integrity. Put the tossed salad down the center of a serving platter and lay the seared tuna attractively across the top and the eggs around the rim. Drizzle with the remaining vinaigrette and serve.

MY TUNA SALAD NICOISE

Steps:

• Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees.
• Wrap the beets tightly in a packet of aluminum foil. Set directly on the oven rack and bake until very tender, 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool the beets in the foil to room temperature. The beets can be prepared to this point up to 1 day in advance. Refrigerate them in their foil, returning them to room temperature before proceeding. Peel the beets and cut them into eighths.
• On a sheet pan, toss the potatoes with the oil. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Toss the potatoes, stirring them occasionally, until they are tender and well browned, 30 to 40 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool.
• Bring a medium pan of water to a boil. Add the artichokes and 2 teaspoons salt and cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, until tender when pierced with a fork, about 15 minutes. Drain well and cool. Quarter the artichokes vertically.
• Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the haricots verts and 2 teaspoons salt. Cook until just tender, 2 to 3 minutes after the water returns to a boil. Drain the haricots verts, immediately transfer them to a bowl of iced water and let stand just until cool. Drain well.
• Prepare a hot charcoal fire or preheat a gas grill to medium high. When the fire is hot, distribute the wood chips if you are using them. Position the grill rack about 6-inches above the heat.
• Spread one side of the tuna with half the tapenade. When the fire is hot, lay the fish on the rack, tapenade side down. Cover and grill for 4 minutes. Spread the upper side of the tuna with the remaining tapenade. Turn the fish and grill another 3 to 5 minutes for medium rare, or until done to your liking. Transfer to a cutting board and cool slightly. Remove and discard the skin and cut the tuna into slices that are 2-inches long and about 1/2-inch thick. Season generously with freshly ground pepper.
• In a medium bowl, toss the artichokes with 1 tablespoon of the vinaigrette. In a second bowl, toss the potatoes with 2 tablespoons of the vinaigrette. In a third bowl, toss the beets and red onions with 2 tablespoons of the vinaigrette. In a fourth bowl, toss the tomatoes with 2 tablespoons of the of the vinaigrette. Season each vegetable to taste with salt and pepper and marinate for 30 minutes.
• Mound the mesclun in the center of a large platter. Spoon the marinated artichokes, potatoes, beets, and tomatoes around, not on, the mesclun. Add the hard cooked egg wedges to the platter and drizzle them with a tablespoon or two of vinaigrette. Arrange the tuna slices over the mesclun and drizzle the fish with 3 tablespoons of vinaigrette. Scatter the olives and arrange the caper berries decoratively over and around the various components and serve immediately. Pass the remaining vinaigrette at the table.
• In a medium bowl whisk together the vingar, mustard, shallot, hot pepper sauce and salt. Continue to whisk while adding the oil in a slow stream; the dressing will thicken. Add freshly ground pepper to taste and adjust the seasoning. Use within an hour or so of completion.

TUNA NIçOISE SALAD

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Toss the potatoes with 2 tsp oil and some seasoning. Tip onto a large baking tray, then roast for 20 mins, stirring halfway, until crisp, golden and cooked through.
• Meanwhile, put eggs in a small pan of water, bring to the boil, then simmer for 8-10 mins, depending on how you like them cooked. Plunge into a bowl of cold water to cool for a few mins. Peel away the shells, then cut into halves.
• In a large salad bowl, whisk together the remaining oil, red wine vinegar, capers and chopped tomatoes. Season, tip in the onion, spinach, tuna and potatoes, then gently toss together. Top with the eggs, then serve straight away.

SALADE NIçOISE WITH FRESH TUNA

Steps:

• Place the potatoes in a saucepan, cover with cool water and bring the water to a boil over high heat. Cover, reduce the heat to low and boil gently for 25 to 35 minutes, until the potatoes are tender but still firm when pierced with a fork. Drain off the water and set the potatoes aside until cool enough to slice.
• Meanwhile, prepare the dressing. In a large bowl, mix together the mustard, garlic, vinegar, olive oil, 1 teaspoon of salt and 1 teaspoon of pepper. Whisk until it comes together.
• Peel the potatoes, if desired, and cut into 1/2-inch slices. Toss with the dressing.
• Bring the 1 1/2 cups of water to a boil in a saucepan. Add the beans, cover and return to a boil. Boil over high heat for 1 to 3 minutes (less for haricot verts and more for larger beans) until just tender but slightly firm to the bite. Drain and run under cold water for a few seconds to stop the cooking and preserve the bright green color. Cut the beans in half.
• Peel the yellow pepper as best you can with a vegetable peeler (much easier to do if the pepper is firm and thick-walled). Then cut the pepper through the pleats, remove and discard the seeds and continue peeling the skin from the pieces. Pile up the peeled pepper wedges and cut them into thin julienne strips (about 1 1/2 cups). Cut the tomatoes in half crosswise, press out the seeds and cut the unpeeled flesh into 1-inch pieces.
• No more than 1 hour before serving, add the beans, yellow pepper, red onions, tomatoes and black olives to the potatoes. Mix well.
• When almost ready to serve, heat 1 large cast-iron or heavy skillet over high heat for about 2 minutes, until very hot. Sprinkle the tuna with the remaining 2 teaspoons of black pepper and 1 teaspoon of salt and then roll in the canola oil. Place the tuna steak in the hot skillet and sauté over high heat for about 2 minutes, turning once, until lightly browned on the outside and cooked until rare on the inside. Cut into 1/2-inch slices.
• To serve, line a large platter with the lettuce leaves. Mound the salade niçoise in the center of the platter and place the sliced tuna and the basil leaves on top. Serve immediately.

SEARED TUNA 'SUSHI'

Steps:

• Wipe steaks dry with paper towels. Mix pepper, salt and five- spice powder together and coat outside of tuna. Leave for about 30 minutes.
• Preheat grill or broiler. Sear the tuna over very hot coals for about two minutes on the top and on the bottom. Pass the sides over the coals for a minute. Cool the tuna and serve, passing the soy sauce, ginger and wasabi paste separately.