Zaatar Crusted Tuna With Cured Tomatoes And Merguez Vinaigrette Recipes

CITRUS GINGER CRUSTED TUNA LOIN SERVED WITH FUFU, CHAYOTE SLAW, AND SMOKED TOMATO VINAIGRETTE

Steps:

• Season the tuna with salt and pepper.
• Coat the tuna with the mustard using a pastry brush.
• You will need three bowls. In one bowl, mix the ginger and zests into the cornmeal. Put flour in a second bowl. Put eggs in a third bowl.
• Dredge the tuna first in the flour then in the eggs and finally in the corn meal. Let dry for about 2 to 3 minutes.
• Heat a saute pan, and add oil. Put the tuna in the pan and brown on all sides, about 1 to 2 minutes per side.
• Slice tuna and assemble with Fufu, Chayote Slaw, and Smoked Tomato Vinaigrette. Garnish with fried plantains and grilled shrimp if desired.
• Fry the bacon in a hot skillet together with onions until bacon is crisp and onions caramelize. Remove from the heat. Bring a saucepan of water to boil. Add plantains, reduce heat, and simmer until soft, about 15 to 18 minutes. Drain and transfer the plantains to a mixing bowl and mash. Add bacon and onions. Keep warm.
• Whisk the sour cream in a large mixing bowl until smooth, then add the vinegar, lime juice, and oil. Stir in all the remaining ingredients. Correct the seasonings by adding salt, pepper, or vinegar, to taste. Serve at room temperature.
• Place the tomatoes in a perforated pan over a smoker on high heat until wisps of smoke begin to appear. Tightly cover the smoker and reduce the heat to medium. Smoke the tomatoes until hot and soft, about 25 to 30 minutes. Place the smoked tomatoes, oil, and seasonings in a blender at high speed until smooth. Adjust seasonings.

MERGUEZ

Steps:

• Combine all ingredients except casings and olive oil in a mixing bowl and mix well with your hands.Fry a small amount as a test and adjust seasonings to taste. It should be somewhat hot and the cinnamon should be balanced by the herbs.
• Using the sausage stuffing attachment of a stand mixer, stuff the casings with the mixture and twist and tie to make 4-inch links. Alternatively, shape into 3-inch lozenges, slightly fatter in the middle, formed around metal skewers, or simply into small patties.
• Heat the grill or broiler. If the sausages are in casings, prick them with a fork 2 to 3 times and brush with oil. Grill or broil them 3-4 minutes each side until cooked through. For lozenges or patties, brush with a little oil and grill about 3 minutes each side, or saute the patties in a little oil over high heat.

ZA'ATAR

Steps:

• Place a small skillet over medium heat. Add the sesame seeds to the skillet and toast, stirring, until fragrant, 2 to 4 minutes. Pour into a small bowl and set aside to cool.
• Using a spice grinder, clean coffee grinder, or mortar and pestle, ground the za'atar leaves with the sumac and salt. Add to the bowl with toasted sesame and mix well. Store in an airtight container in a cool, dark place for up to 1 year.

ZA'ATAR-CRUSTED TUNA WITH CURED TOMATOES AND MERGUEZ VINAIGRETTE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 200 degrees F.
• In a mixing bowl, toss the whole tomatoes with 1/4 cup olive oil, paprika, salt, garlic, 2 Tb shallots, thyme and basil. Spread on a sheet pan and place in oven for 4 hours.
• When tomatoes are close to being ready, in a saute pan over medium-high heat, saute sausage until nicely browned (it will crumble as you cook), about 10 minutes.
• Remove sausage and set aside.
• Drain all but 2 Tb of fat from pan, return pan to medium heat, and add sherry vinegar to deglaze, scraping up browned bits, about 1 minute.
• Add 1 Tb olive oil, 1 Tb shallots, capers, and tomato sauce; mix to incorporate, then remove from heat.
• Season with salt, pepper, and chives, and return sausage to pan.
• Meanwhile, heat a cast iron pan over high heat with canola oil until smoking.
• Season tuna with salt and pepper, then roll in za'atar on all sides, until well covered.
• Sear tuna, 1 minute on each side, for rare.
• Evenly divide tomatoes and tuna among plates and cover with sauce; serve immediately.