Ahi Tuna Salad Recipes

SEARED AHI TUNA AND SALAD OF MIXED GREENS WITH WASABI VINAIGRETTE

Steps:

• Coat your steak with a combination of five-spice powder and grill seasoning or salt and pepper. Heat a grill pan or griddle over high heat. Spray grill surface or wipe with a thin layer of oil. Add tuna steak to the hot cooking surface and sear tuna 2 minutes on each side. Remove tuna from heat.
• Combine greens, radishes and cucumber in a bowl. In a smaller bowl, whisk wasabi, vinegar and soy sauce. Whisk in oil to combine dressing. Drizzle dressing over your salad and toss to coat evenly. Slice tuna on an angle and arrange on the salad.

AHI TUNA WITH NAPA CABBAGE SALAD

Steps:

• In a large salad bowl, whisk together lime juice, fish sauce, sugar, and sesame oil. Taste and adjust seasonings with salt and pepper. Cut cabbage in 1/2 lengthwise and slice into thin ribbons. Place cabbage, carrots, basil, mint, and cilantro in the bowl with the dressing. Toss to combine. Set aside.
• Pour the sesame seeds out onto a plate. Press the tuna into the seeds on both sides, pressing gently so the sesame seeds stick.
• Heat the olive oil in a 12-inch non-stick pan over medium high heat. Add fish to pan and cook until rare, about 2 minutes per side. Alternatively, cook until done to your likeness. Slice thin and distribute among 4 serving plates. Serve with a generous portion of Napa cabbage slaw.

GRILLED AHI TUNA NICOISE SALAD

Steps:

• Trim the haricots verts, then blanch in boiling water and refresh in cold water. Drain and season with 1 tablespoon olive oil, salt, pepper and thyme, to taste. Reserve in a bowl.
• Cut the onion into 1/4-inch round slices. In a small saute pan, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil. Saute the onions until caramelized, about 10 minutes, stirring constantly. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Reserve in a bowl.
• In a small bowl, toss together the roasted peppers and 1/8 cup Nigoise Salad Dressing. Reserve.
• Cut the potatoes into 1/4-inch round slices. Place in a small bowl, add 1/4 cup Nigoise Salad Dressing, and toss until well blended. Reserve.
• In a small bowl, toss together the tomatoes and 1/8 cup Nigoise Salad Dressing. Reserve.
• To make crostini: Arrange the bread slices in a baking tray. Brush with olive oil and bake in a preheated 350 degree F oven for 6 to 8 minutes. Allow to cool, then rub with garlic clove. For each of the crostini, spread 1 tablespoon Herbed Goat Cheese and top with 1 teaspoon Black and Green Olive Tapenade.
• In a small saucepan, over high heat, add the remaining 2 to 2 1/2 tablespoons olive oil and sear tuna fillets until all sides are brown, about 1 to 2 minutes, keeping the centers rare. Remove from heat and slice each tuna fillet into 5 round slices.
• In a medium mixing bowl, toss together the mixed baby lettuces with 1/4 cup Nigoise Salad Dressing.
• To serve, divide the haricots verts, onion, bell peppers, potatoes, tomatoes, and olives into 6 portions. For each plate, arrange 3 portions of each ingredient by placing them in a clockwise fashion, starting with the haricots verts at 1, 5, and 9 o'clock positions near the rim of the plate. Continue to place the onion, bell peppers, potatoes, tomatoes, and olives between the haricots verts. Place quail egg halves over the peppers and an anchovy over the potatoes. Mound half of the lettuce in the center of each plate. Arrange the tuna slices on the side of the salad and top the lettuce with the crostini.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together lemon juice, vinegar, mustard, garlic, and shallots. Slowly whisk in the olive oil to emulsify. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and sugar. Refrigerate in a covered container. When ready to use, whisk again.
• Yield: 2 1/2 cups
• Recipe courtesy Wolfgang Puck, Pizza, Pasta & More!, Random House, 2000 .
• In a food processor, combine all the ingredients, except the olive oil and crostini. Using the pulse button, process until coarsely chopped and well blended. Continue to process, slowly adding the olive oil. Refrigerate in a covered container. Spread on homemade crostini, recipe follows.
• Yield: 1 heaping cup
• Herbed Goat Cheese: 2 teaspoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves 2 teaspoons chopped fresh chives 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1 (7 or 8-ounce) log goat cheese
• Combine the parsley, chives, thyme, and pepper and place on a flat surface. Roll the log of cheese in the mixture, coating all sides and retaining the shape of the log. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until needed.
• Yield: 1 log
• Oven-dried Tomatoes: 12 medium Roma tomatoes (2 pounds) 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus additional as needed 1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme leaves 6 garlic cloves, crushed 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F.
• In a pot of boiling water, blanch tomatoes. Drain and refresh in ice water. Drain. Peel, core, cut into quarters, and remove seeds.
• Line a baking tray with parchment paper and arrange the tomato quarters on the tray, cut side down. Drizzle generously with olive oil. Sprinkle with thyme and garlic. In a small bowl, combine salt, pepper and sugar, and sprinkle evenly over the tomatoes.
• Bake until the tomatoes begin to shrivel, about 1 hour. When the tomatoes are cool enough to handle, transfer to a container. Pour olive oil over and cover the container. Refrigerate and use as needed.
• Yield: 1 1/4 cups

SEARED AHI TUNA SALAD

Steps:

• Make dressing:
• Whisk olive oil, lime juice, orange juice, soy sauce, sesame oil, chives and ginger in small bowl to blend. Season with salt and pepper.
• Make wontons:
• Pour oil into heavy medium saucepan to depth of 1 inch. Heat oil to 375°F. Working in batches, fry wonton strips until golden and crisp, about 1 minute. Using tongs, transfer wonton strips to paper towels; drain. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. (Dressing and wonton strips can be made 2 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.)
• Place tomatoes in small bowl. Add 2 tablespoons dressing and toss to coat. Cook carrots and peas in medium pot of boiling salted water until crisp-tender, about 30 seconds. Drain, rinse with cold water and pat dry. Place in medium bowl; toss with 2 tablespoons dressing.
• Stir sesame seeds in heavy large skillet over high heat until seeds are pale golden, about 2 minutes. Transfer seeds to large plate. Sprinkle fish with salt and pepper. Dip fish into seeds, coating on all sides and pressing fish so that seeds adhere. Return same skillet to high heat. Brush skillet with some of deep-frying oil. Add fish to skillet and sear until fish is just opaque in center and coating is deep brown on outside, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer fish to work surface.
• Mound lettuces on 4 plates. Thinly slice fish; arrange fish, slices overlapping, on lettuces. Surround lettuces with tomatoes, carrots and peas, dividing equally. Drizzle each salad with some dressing. Garnish with wonton strips. Serve, passing any remaining dressing separately.