Flash Marinated Tuna On Fennel Salad And Tangerine Tomato Coulis Recipes

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.

SEARED TUNA, WHITE BEAN AND FENNEL SALAD

Steps:

• Season tuna generously on both sides with salt, then sprinkle with the black pepper, fennel seed and pollen (if using). Drizzle very lightly with olive oil and rub the seasoning into the fillets with your hands. Set aside at room temperature.
• Peel and dice the onion and soak in ice water for 10 minutes (this will tame its bite). Drain the beans and put in a bowl. Add a generous sprinkling of salt and 2 tablespoons lemon juice and stir. Drain onions and add to beans. Stir in 1 tablespoon olive oil and toss to coat. Transfer to a serving platter and set aside at room temperature.
• Make the dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together 2 tablespoons lemon juice, the lemon zest, garlic, a pinch of salt, crushed red pepper and 3 tablespoons olive oil.
• Place a wide cast iron pan over high heat. When it is hot, add tuna. Cook for about 2 minutes, until a golden brown crust forms, then flip and cook for 1 to 2 minutes more. Take care not to let the spices scorch; reduce the heat if necessary. The exterior of the fish will be cooked, but the interior will be quite rare. For medium-rare, cook an additional 2 minutes on the second side. Remove from pan and transfer to a cutting board to cool.
• Using a very sharp knife or mandoline, slice fennel crosswise into very thin slices. Salt lightly and toss with dressing. Arrange dressed fennel around the edge of the platter, surrounding the beans.
• Cut the tuna in ½-inch slices and arrange over beans. Sprinkle with parsley and fennel fronds and serve at room temperature.

TOMATO FENNEL SALAD

Steps:

• Core the tomatoes and cut into wedges. Remove the top of the fennel (save some fronds for garnish) and slice the bulb very thinly crosswise with a knife or on a mandoline.
• Toss the tomatoes and fennel in a bowl with the olive oil, lemon juice, vinegar, salt, and pepper. Garnish with 2 tablespoons chopped fennel fronds, season to taste, and serve.

ROASTED SEA BASS WITH TOMATO COULIS AND FENNEL SALSA

Steps:

• For coulis:
• Blend tomatoes in processor until almost smooth. Gradually blend in oil, then vinegar. Process until coulis is smooth, scraping down sides of bowl occasionally. Season coulis with salt and pepper. Transfer to bowl. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Whisk until smooth before using.)
• For fish:
• Whisk oil and vinegar to blend in 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish. Sprinkle fish with salt and pepper. Place fish in marinade in dish; turn to coat. Chill at least 1 hour and up to 2 hours.
• Position 1 rack in top third and 1 rack in bottom third of oven and preheat to 400°F. Place 1 large rimmed baking sheet on each rack and heat 15 minutes. Dust flat side of each fillet with flour. Brush each heated baking sheet generously with oil. Place 5 fillets, floured side down, on each prepared sheet. Place fish in oven and roast until just opaque in center, about 12 minutes. Spoon 3 tablespoons coulis into center of each plate. Top with fish. Spoon salsa alongside. Garnish with basil.

CATHERINE SCORSESE'S PASTA SAUCE

Steps:

• In a 6-quart, or larger, saucepan or casserole, cook the onion in the oil, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes.
• In a blender or food processor, puree tomatoes and sauce. Add tomato mixture to pan along with water, tomato paste, garlic, carrots, potato, 3 tablespoons of basil, 3 tablespoons of parsley, salt and cayenne to taste. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and, stirring occasionally, cook, partly covered, for 30 minutes.
• In a small bowl, soak the bread crumbs in the milk until softened.
• In a large bowl, combine bread-crumb mixture with meat, egg, Parmesan, remaining 2 tablespoons basil and parsley, salt, cayenne and 1/2 cup of sauce. Gradually shred and add meat mix to sauce, a little at a time. Partly cover, and bring sauce to a simmer, stirring occasionally, for 1 hour. Before serving, remove garlic cloves, carrots and potato.
• Use about 2 cups of sauce for each pound of pasta.

CHLODNIK

Steps:

• In a large, nonreactive bowl, whisk the sour cream, buttermilk, sauerkraut juice, garlic, salt and pepper until smooth.
• Stir in the shrimp, cucumbers, dill, fennel and scallions, gently but thoroughly. Cover and refrigerate 4 hours or overnight.
• To serve, taste for seasoning, ladle into bowls and sprinkle with chopped hard-cooked egg.

30-VEGETABLE SOUP

Steps:

• Rinse the beans in a colander, and transfer to a large, nonreactive bowl. Cover with water by 2 inches, and let soak in a cool place overnight uncovered. Drain, and transfer to a 9- to-10-quart heavy pot. Add 8 cups of water and the fresh or dried herbs. Cook at a gentle boil for about 60 minutes, or until tender. Add the plum tomatoes, and continue cooking for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat, and cool slightly.
• Puree the beans, tomatoes and all liquid in batches in a food processor. Return to the pot, and add all the vegetables except the spinach, Swiss chard and red chard. Season with salt and pepper, and bring to a simmer, stirring. Add small amounts of water just to cover the vegetables. Cook until all the vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes, adding more water if necessary. Add the spinach, Swiss chard and red chard. Cook for 1 to 2 more minutes, stirring.
• Add salt and pepper to taste, and red pepper to taste. Accompany with a cruet of olive oil for drizzling into the soup and, if desired, croutons.

FLASH-MARINATED TUNA ON FENNEL SALAD AND TANGERINE TOMATO COULIS

Steps:

• Put the fish slices in a large bowl. Pull off and discard the two tough outer layers of the fennel bulb. Cut off and discard the stalks. Cut out the tough core; cut the bulb in half and then across in paper-thin slices. Add the fennel and the scallion slices to the fish. In a small bowl, mix together 3 tablespoons olive oil with the lemon juice, the chopped mint and a pinch of salt and pepper. Mix gently with the fish. Cover and set in a chilled place for 10 minutes, no longer.
• Set aside 36 of the tiny currant tomatoes. Put the rest, along with the pieces of Tangerine tomatoes, through a food mill set over a 2-quart stainless-steel bowl. In a small bowl, mix the sherry vinegar, 1/8 teaspoon of cumin and minced garlic. Slowly whisk in 1/3 cup olive oil until emulsified. Whisk into the liquefied tomatoes. Add more cumin if needed and sea salt to taste.
• To assemble, divide the Tangerine tomato coulis among six 10-inch dinner plates, making a neat pool on the bottom of each plate. Mix the mesclun with the marinated tuna, adding 3 tablespoons of the sherry vinegar or to taste.
• Divide the tuna salad among the plates, putting a mound in the center of each. Near the edge of each plate, make a border of 6 evenly spaced currant tomatoes.