Toasted Fennel Crusted Tuna With Rioja Red Wine Sauce Caramelized Baby Onions And Braised Fennel Food

TOASTED FENNEL CRUSTED TUNA WITH RIOJA RED WINE SAUCE, CARAMELIZED BABY ONIONS AND BRAISED FENNEL

Steps:

• For the Rioja Red Wine Sauce: Place port, wine, sugar and honey in a medium stainless steel saucepan and cook over high heat until reduced to 1/4 cup, let cool. Place reduced liquid in a blender and with the motor running, add oil until emulsified. Season with lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste.
• For the Pearl Onions: Place water, butter and sugar in a medium saucepan and cook until the butter and sugar is melted. Add onions and cook over high heat until the water has evaporated and the onions are cooked through and caramelized. Season with salt and pepper and lemon juice.
• For the Tuna: Heat a small saute pan over high heat. Add the fennel seeds and toast for 1 to 2 minutes. Place the seeds in a coffee grinder and grind until coarsely chopped. Season the tuna with salt and pepper to taste on both sides. Dredge 1 side of each fillet in the fennel seeds. Heat the oil in a large saute pan over high heat. Saute the tuna, fennel-side down until golden brown 1 to 2 minutes. Turn the fish over and continue cooking for 1 minute for rare doneness. Drizzle the fish with Rioja sauce and parsley. Serve with caramelized onions and braised fennel.
• For the Braised Fennel: Brown fennel in olive oil in medium pan. Deglaze pan with wine and stock. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and braise until tender.

GRILLED TUNA WITH CARAMELIZED ONIONS, CINNAMON AND MINT

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large saute pan. Add the onions, sugar, cinnamon and red pepper flakes and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are golden brown and caramelized, about 30 minutes. Stir in a few tablespoons of water and the vinegar. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Stir in the mint and chopped parsley just before serving.
• Heat the grill to high for direct grilling. Brush the tuna on both sides with the canola oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill the tuna until golden brown and slightly charred on both sides and cooked to medium-rare doneness, about 2 minutes each side.
• Slice the tuna steaks thickly across the grain and shingle them on a serving platter. Spoon the onion mixture down the center. Keep at room temperature about 15 minutes before serving.

TUNA CRUSTED WITH ALEPPO PEPPERS WITH TANGERINE-GREEN ONION RELISH, MELTED LEEKS AND RED WINE-POMEGRANATE REDUCTION

Steps:

• Season tuna on both sides with salt. Dust 1 side of the tuna with the peppers. Heat oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Sear the tuna, pepper side down, until golden brown, about 1 to 2 minutes, turn over and continue cooking for 2 minutes for medium-rare doneness.
• To plate, divide the melted leeks onto 4 serving plates. Arrange each tuna steak on top of the melted leeks. Place a tablespoon of the Tangerine-Green Onion Relish on top of the tuna, and drizzle the entire dish with the Red-Wine Pomegranate Reduction.
• Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Place leeks, onion, carrot, celery, and water to cover in a large pot and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer and cook until cooked through, about 20 to 25 minutes. Drain well and thinly slice.
• Heat oil and butter in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add leaks, season with salt and pepper and cook for 10 to 15 minutes.
• Place wine and port in a small saucepan and reduce to 1 cup. Whisk in pomegranate molasses and sugar and taste for sweetness. Whisk in cold butter just before serving and season with salt and pepper, to taste.

SORBETE DE LA RIOJA (LA RIOJA WINE SORBET)

Steps:

• Put the sugar in a saucepan with the cinnamon stick and a scant cup of water. Bring to a boil and simmer until the sugar has dissolved completely and the syrup is clear. Remove the cinnamon stick and let the syrup cool. Mix together the sugar syrup, red wine and orange zest. Beat the egg white until soft peaks form, and then fold into the red wine mixture. Transfer the mixture to a metal bowl and place in the freezer for 3 hours. Break up the ice crystals occasionally by whisking with a balloon whisk. Before serving, the sorbet should be whisked again, then divided between chilled glassed. Decorate with mint leaves.
• Variation: The sorbet can also be served in tall glasses, which are then topped up with chilled Spanish sparkling wine (Cava).

FENNEL CRUSTED TUNA

Steps:

• Place toasted seeds, white pepper and salt in spice grinder. Grind to the size of coarse ground pepper. Brush outside of tuna with olive oil. Crust tuna loin with ground spice mixture. Sear tuna in a non-stick pan, using olive oil sparingly, approximately 45 to 60 seconds on all sides. Should be golden brown on the outside and pink in the center. Slice into 1 1/2 to 2-inch pieces and serve with papaya salad. Can be stored in the refrigerator tightly wrapped 3 to 4 hours before serving.

TOASTED FENNEL CRUSTED TUNA WITH SAFFRON-RED PEPPER SAUCE AND SPRING VEGETABLE COUSCOUS

Steps:

• Place fennel seeds in a coffee grinder and coarsely grind and place on a large plate. Brush tuna with olive oil and season with salt and pepper to taste. Preheat saute pan or grill pan over high heat until smoking. Dredge one side of the tuna in the fennel seeds. Saute, fennel-side down for 2 to 3 minutes until golden brown, turn over and continue cooking for 1 to 2 minutes for rare doneness.
• Heat oil in a medium saute pan over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic and cook until soft. Add the red peppers, vinegar, water and saffron and bring to a simmer. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes. Place in a blender and blend until smooth, season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Heat 3 tablespoons of the olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the couscous and cook until lightly golden brown. Cover with water and 2 tablespoons of salt. Cook until al dente, drain and place into a large bowl. Heat remaining 3 tablespoons of oil in a large saute pan and saute the vegetables until just cooked through. Add the vegetables and oil to the couscous. Whisk together the soy sauce and harissa and pour over the couscous and mix to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

FRENCH TOAST TUNA SANDWICHES

Steps:

• Mix together tuna, celery, onion, pickle relish, and mayo.
• Spread 4 slices of bread with tuna mixture; top each with another slice of bread.
• Mix together eggs and milk.
• Dip sandwiches into egg mixture.
• Saute in butter over medium heat 4 minutes on each side or until golden brown.
• Serve immediately.

TUNA STEAKS WITH FENNEL

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the leek and cook, stirring, until leeks are limp, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until the mixture is fragrant, 30 seconds to a minute. Add the fennel and a generous pinch of salt and cook, stirring often, until it begins to soften, about 5 minutes. Turn the heat to low, cover and cook slowly for 30 to 40 minutes, stirring often. Stir in the lemon juice, taste and adjust seasonings. The mixture should be very soft.
• Meanwhile, season the albacore steaks with salt and pepper and heat the remaining olive oil in another pan over medium-high heat. Sear the albacore steaks for 30 seconds on each side. Place on top of the fennel. Cover the pan, turn the heat down to medium-low and simmer for another 5 to 10 minutes, until the fish is cooked through.
• Sprinkle on the parsley and serve, laying the fish on top of the fennel, with lemon wedges on the side.

TUNA AU POIVRE WITH RED WINE SAUCE

Steps:

• Season tuna steaks with salt. Sprinkle with garlic, coriander, fennel and black pepper. Drizzle with olive oil. Rub to coat evenly with spices on both sides. Let marinate at room temperature for 15 minutes (or refrigerate for up to 4 hours and bring to room temperature before cooking).
• Make the red wine sauce: Melt butter over medium-high heat and add shallots. Cook, stirring, until lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Add wine and simmer until reduced by half. Add chicken broth and reduce until 1 cup sauce remains, about 10 minutes. Season with salt, set aside and keep warm.
• Set a wide cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat (or use 2 smaller pans). When hot, lay in steaks and sear for 2 minutes, until nicely browned. Flip and cook 1 minute more for rare, 2 minutes for medium rare. Arrange tuna on a platter or individual plates. Spoon wine sauce over each steak.