Tuscan Tuna Salad With Fennel Recipes

GRILLED TUSCAN TUNA SALAD

Steps:

• For the tuna: Remove the tuna from the refrigerator 20 minutes before grilling. Heat a charcoal or gas grill to high for direct grilling. Mix together the fennel, salt and pepper in a small bowl.
• Brush the tuna with canola oil on both sides and sprinkle with the spice mixture. Grill until charred on both sides and cooked to medium doneness, about 5 minutes per side. Remove and let rest for 5 minutes. Cut into medium dice.
• For the salad dressing: Whisk together the lemon juice, vinegar, mustard, rosemary, anchovies and garlic in a small bowl and season with salt and pepper. Slowly pour in the olive oil while whisking, until it all emulsifies. For a sweeter and thicker texture, whisk in a teaspoon of honey at a time, until desired taste and consistency is reached.
• For the salad: Combine the beans, olives, fennel, onion and tuna in a large bowl. Add the dressing and gently toss to coat. Add the greens, basil and parsley , season with salt and pepper, and toss again.
• For serving: Mound the salad on a platter and sprinkle the remaining lemon juice over the top.

BAKED TUNA SALAD WITH FENNEL

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Season the tuna and fennel generously with salt and pepper and place in a deep, 8-by-8-inch baking dish. Place the garlic in the pan and pour in just enough olive oil to cover the tuna. Bake for 15 minutes, until the fennel softens and the tuna is just pink at the center. Remove from the oven and cool in the oil for 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove the tuna, fennel and garlic from the oil and allow to cool.
• Place the garlic, 6 tablespoons of the oil in which the fish cooked and the lemon juice in the container of a blender and blend until smooth. (Discard the remaining oil or save it for another use.) Season the dressing to taste with salt and pepper. Toss the greens and onion with 3 tablespoons of the dressing and place them on a platter. Slice the tuna thinly and lay it over the greens along with the fennel. Toss the tomatoes with 2 tablespoons of the dressing and surround the tuna with them. Pour the remaining dressing over the tuna, chop a few of the fennel fronds and sprinkle them over the tuna. Serve at room temperature.

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.

PAN-SEARED TUNA TOPPED WITH FENNEL SALAD

Steps:

• Combine first 5 ingredients in medium bowl. (Can be prepared 4 hours ahead. Cover and let stand at room temperature.)
• Heat heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Brush fish generously with oil. Season with salt and pepper. Add fish to skillet and cook just until cooked through and brown, about 6 minutes per side. Transfer to plates. Mix parsley into fennel mixture. Top fish with fennel mixture and serve.

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.