Peppered Tuna Salad With Grilled Asparagus And Quail Egg Recipes

ASPARAGUS & TUNA SALAD

Steps:

• Boil the potatoes for 8-12 mins until tender. Drain, cool a little under cold running water, then drain again well and set aside to finish cooling.
• Put the eggs in a pan of cold water and bring to the boil. As soon as the water is boiling, add the asparagus for 2 mins. Drain well and rinse everything under cold water to cool. Again drain asparagus well.
• Once cool enough to handle, peel the eggs and halve or quarter. Whisk the dressing ingredients with 1 tbsp water and some seasoning.
• Tip the potatoes, asparagus, tuna, olives and lettuce into a bowl. Drizzle over the dressing and toss well to coat, then add the eggs and serve with crusty bread.

ASPARAGUS PEPPER SALAD

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, bring water to a boil. Add asparagus; cover and boil for 3 minutes. Drain and immediately place asparagus in ice water. Drain and pat dry. , In a bowl, combine the peppers, onions and asparagus. Drizzle with salad dressing; toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 3-4 hours before serving.

TUNA SALAD WITH HARD-BOILED EGGS

Steps:

• Combine tuna, salad dressing, chopped eggs, celery, relish, mustard, and Worcestershire sauce in a medium bowl. Mix until well combined.

TUNA SALAD PEPPER CUPS

Steps:

• Cut green peppers in half lengthwise; remove seeds and membranes. In a bowl, combine tuna, cucumber, onions, mayonnaise and relish. Spoon into pepper cups. Serve immediately.

CAESAR SALAD WITH PEPPER-GRILLED TUNA

Steps:

• Prepare barbecue (medium-high heat). Stir soy sauce and brown sugar in pie dish until sugar dissolves. Using mortar and pestle or spice mill, coarsely grind peppercorns. Dip both sides of tuna steaks in soy mixture. Sprinkle both sides of tuna generously with peppercorns, pressing to adhere. Grill tuna to desired doneness, about 2 minutes per side for medium-rare.
• Combine greens and radishes in large bowl. Toss with enough Caesar Vinaigrette to coat salad. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Divide salad among 6 plates. Cut tuna crosswise into thin slices; place alongside salad. Drizzle tuna and greens with remaining vinaigrette.

PARISIAN-STYLE GRILLED AHI TUNA SALAD WITH A SOFT-BOILED QUAIL EGG

Steps:

• To roast the potatoes: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Heat a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add the oil, potatoes, salt and pepper. Transfer the skillet to the oven and roast the potatoes until they begin to color, about 10 minutes. Turn the potatoes over, add the herbs de Provence and continue cooking until the potatoes are tender, about 7 minutes more. Set the potatoes aside to cool.
• To prepare the salad: Wrap the peeled garlic cloves in aluminum foil and roast in a 400 degree F oven until soft, about 15 minutes. Cool slightly then mash the garlic to a paste adding a tablespoon or 2 of olive oil. Set the garlic paste aside.
• Blanch the haricots verts in boiling salted water, until crisp but tender, about 4 minutes. Refresh the beans in an ice bath, then set aside.
• Boil the quail eggs in salted water for 2 minutes and 15 seconds. Shock them in an ice bath, peel, and set aside.
• To prepare the balsamic vinaigrette: Whisk 1 tablespoon of Dijon mustard with the balsamic vinegar and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Slowly whisk in 3/4 cup olive oil. Add minced thyme and shallots.
• To prepare the caper vinaigrette: Whisk 1 tablespoon of Dijon mustard with the grain mustard, red wine vinegar and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Slowly whisk in 3/4 cup olive oil. Mix in the capers, shallots, and minced thyme.
• To finish the salad: Season the tuna on both sides with salt and pepper. Heat and oil a grill or cast iron pan and sear the tuna on both sides (the tuna is best rare¿the cooking time will depend upon the thickness of the pieces).
• In a large mixing bowl, combine the tomatoes, tatsoi, haricots verts, potatoes, and olives. Dress the salad with balsamic vinaigrette and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Arrange the salad on 4 plates. Spread the toast with garlic puree. Put a piece of toast on each salad and place a piece a tuna on top. Spoon caper vinaigrette over the tuna, garnish with a quail egg, season with salt and pepper and serve.

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

GRILLED QUAIL SALAD

Steps:

• Combine the orange and lemon juice, bay leaves, crushed lemongrass, star anise, molasses, soy, chili, garlic and ginger and marinate the quail for several hours, or overnight, covered, in the refrigerator.
• To make the dressing for the salad, combine the mustard, vinegar and honey and whisk in the olive oil to create an emulsion.
• Remove the quail from the marinade and grill over an outdoor barbecue for 4 to 5 minutes on each side, or cook over medium heat in a cast iron skillet for 10 to 12 minutes, turning frequently to avoid burning. Remove from the heat and let the quail rest for several minutes before serving.
• Toss the salad greens with the dressing and divide among 4 plates. Top each salad with 2 quail for a main course and garnish each with several slices of papaya and mango and sprinkle with toasted pumpkin seeds.

ASPARAGUS SALAD WITH CELERY LEAVES, QUAIL EGGS, AND TARRAGON VINAIGRETTE

Steps:

• Cover eggs with cold water in a very small saucepan. Bring to a simmer and cook, covered, 5 minutes. Rinse eggs under cold running water to stop cooking, then peel and quarter.
• Cut asparagus on a very sharp diagonal into 3/4-inch-thick slices (about 2 inches long), leaving 2-inch tips. Halve tips lengthwise if thicker than rest of slices. Arrange asparagus on a steamer rack and sprinkle with kosher salt. Steam, covered, over boiling water until just tender, 2 to 3 minutes, then transfer to a bowl of ice water to stop cooking. Drain well and pat dry with paper towels.
• Whisk together vinegar and mustards. Add oil in a slow stream, whisking. Stir in shallot, 2 teaspoons tarragon, and salt and pepper to taste.
• Toss asparagus and celery leaves with half of vinaigrette and mound on 4 plates. Tuck quail eggs decoratively into salads. Drizzle salads and plates with remaining vinaigrette and sprinkle with remaining teaspoon tarragon.

PEPPER SEARED TUNA STEAKS

Steps:

• Combine black pepper and sesame seeds in bowl.
• Press tuna steaks into mixture, until coated.
• Heat sesame oil over medium-high heat.
• Add tuna steaks and sear about 1- 1 1/2 minutes each side (I like mine rare in the center, longer if you prefer well-cooked tuna).
• Transfer steaks to tented aluminum foil to keep warm.
• Add a touch more oil to pan, then add soy sauce and sherry.
• Add garlic and most of green onion (reserving some of the tops).
• If too much has boiled off, add a bit of red wine if necessary.
• Reduce heat and simmer until mixture is slightly reduced, scraping up any brown bits, about 1 minute.
• Spoon sauce over tuna steaks, and sprinkle remaining green onion on top.
• Note: if you want to make more of this sauce, it tastes fantastic, and goes great with rices, potatoes, roasted veggies, etc.
• In the photo, I cross-cut Italian bread, drizzled with olive oil and briefly toasted.