Salad Nicoise with Seared Tuna

It's a hot one here in Chicagoland! I didn't want to make my poor husband sweat by the grill tonight so I went with a pan-seared tuna to top of this Nicoise salad. As you can see in the photo, I overcooked it a little for my liking; I prefer it more red in the center. Modify the cooking time to your liking. A traditional Nicoise salad uses red new potatoes and haricot verts (French green beans)--paleo no-no's. I substituted thin asparagus and a variety of other vegetables in this version.

Adapted from foodnetwork.com.

Serves 4.

Ingredients
Salad
1 - 1 1/2 lb fresh sushi-quality ahi tuna

1-2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 head Romaine lettuce, washed and torn
1 can quartered artichokes, drained
1 lb thin asparagus spears, ends trimmed
1 cup Nicoise or oil-cured olives
1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes, halved (I used a combination of tomatoes I had on hand.)
1 small bunch radishes, ends trimmed, halved, and sliced thin
1/2 sweet red pepper, peeled, cored, thinly sliced and cut into 1-2 inch lengths
8 anchovy  fillets
8 caper berries
small bunch fresh chives, snipped in half
4 large eggs, hard boiled, peeled, and halved lengthwise
Vinaigrette

2 Tbsp Italian flat-leaf parsley leaves

2 Tbsp fresh tarragon leaves
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp Dijon mustard
3 Tbsp red wine vinegar
1/2 lemon, juiced
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

Preparation
To Blanch Asparagus

1. Cut asparagus spears into 1- to 2-inch pieces. Keep tips separate from stalks.
2. Fill a medium saucepan about 1/2 full of water. Bring water to a boil and reduce heat to medium. Add asparagus stem pieces and boil for 1 minute, add asparagus tips and boil for an additional 1 minute or until crisp-tender and bright green.
3. Pour asparagus into a colander and rinse under very cold water to stop them from cooking. 
4. Refrigerate or set aside.

To Make Vinaigrette

1. Combine parsley, tarragon, and garlic in a food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped. 
2. Add mustard, vinegar, and lemon juice and pulse to combine. 
3. With processor running, slowly add olive oil until dressing emulsifies. 
4. Turn off processor and season with salt and pepper.

To Sear Tuna

1. Warm a large skillet or griddle over medium-high heat. 
2. Season the tuna with salt and pepper. Spoon the vinaigrette on the tuna and rub a little bit into each side. (Be sure not to contaminate the vinaigrette with the tuna.)
3. Place 1 Tbsp olive oil in hot pan. Working in batches, if necessary, lay the tuna steaks in the pan and sear for 1-2 minutes on each side, or until they reach your desired degree of doneness.
4. Transfer tuna to a cutting board and slice.

To Assemble Salad

1. Divide Romaine evenly among 4 large, shallow bowls or plates.
2. Place artichokes, asparagus, olives, radishes, red peppers, tomatoes, anchovies, capers, and chives in a large mixing bowl. Gently toss to coat.
3. Briefly whisk the vinaigrette to recombine. Add just enough of the vinaigrette to moisten, but not drench, the vegetables. Gently toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Place 1/4 of the tossed salad on top of the Romaine leaves. Carefully fan tuna slices out on top. Arrange 2 halves of egg on the side. (A Nicoise salad is all about presentation.) Drizzle lightly with remaining vinaigrette and serve. Repeat for remaining salads and serve.

Sesame Seared Tuna with Lime Ginger Vinaigrette

I was in the mood to celebrate, so I stopped by the fish counter and picked up some fresh wild tuna fillets. A little pricey, but I figure it's a whole lot cheaper than eating out! Tonight's meal skips the soy component that often accompanies seared tuna. Instead, the tuna is complemented by a citrusy lime ginger vinaigrette. I used a combination of black and natural sesame seeds, but you can use all regular seeds if you can't find the black; it will just change the look a bit. Don't let the wasabi paste scare you, it loses pretty much all of its heat while cooking. You can find it, sold as a powder, in the Asian section of most supermarkets.

Adapted from steamykitchen.com.


Serves 3.

Ingredients
4 Tbsp black sesame seeds
4 Tbsp white sesame seeds
3 fresh, wild tuna fillets (about 1 1/2-2 lbs)
2 tsp wasabi paste
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice
2 tsp grated fresh ginger
4 Tbsp avocado oil (or olive oil)
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 large bunch broccoli, trimmed and divided into pieces
coconut aminos (optional)

Preparation

1. Combine lime juice, ginger, and avocado oil in a small bowl and whisk to combine. Season with salt and pepper.
2. Combine sesame seeds in a shallow dish.
3. Thoroughly dry tuna fillets with a paper towel. Apply wasabi paste to all sides and season with salt.
4. Set tuna steaks, one at a time, in sesame seeds. The wasabi will help the seeds stick. Turn the tuna and apply to all sides (top, bottom, and edges).
5. Heat 1 Tbsp olive oil in a large skillet or stovetop griddle. Sear tuna steaks for approximately 2-3 minutes on each side. Be careful not to overcook the tuna; it should be pink in the center and the seeds should be just lightly toasted, not blackened.
6. While tuna cooks, place broccoli pieces in a medium bowl, fill with about 1/2 inch water and cover with plastic wrap. Microwave on high for 2-3 minutes. Drain water and season with salt and pepper.
7. To serve, slice tuna steak on plate and place broccoli on the side. Drizzle with lime vinaigrette. Garnish with coconut aminos, if desired.