Grilled Fresh Ahi Tuna Salad Nicoise
Wolfgang Puck

 

Grilled Fresh Ahi Tuna Salad Nicoise

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All over the nation, children are beginning to go back to school. And their migration, between now and just after Labor Day a couple of weeks away, signals the end of the official summer grilling season.

That doesn't mean, of course, that, come Tuesday, Sept. 4, families will put away their grills and head back to the stove. But, as late summer marches toward early autumn, there will be fewer and fewer convenient occasions to cook outdoors -- and the weather will be less and less cooperative.

So, I say let's get the most out of the last few weeks of grilling season by cooking some really spectacular, yet remarkably easy, meals in the open air. In that spirit, over the next few weeks I'd like to share with you some of my favorite August-into-September grilling recipes.

Let's start with a recipe that not only features some of the season's best fresh-from-the-farmers'-market produce but also recognizes the fact that during the hottest, muggiest "dog days" of August many of us don't always want to be eating intensively meaty main courses. (Don't worry, though, meat lovers. I'll also be featuring some great grilled beef and lamb dishes in my next two columns!)

Now is an ideal time of year to find such wonderful produce as green beans, bell peppers, and cherry tomatoes in the farmers' market. In addition, the long, slender, waxy potatoes known as "fingerlings" are beginning to approach their season. Fill your bag or basket with these ingredients at your local farmers' market, and you have the foundation for one of the world's best-loved salads: the south-of-France classic known as salade Nicoise.

The way most people know the salad, it features canned oil-packed tuna. But the widespread availability today of high-quality, sushi-grade ahi tuna enables you to use fresh fish, quickly seared on the grill.

That's part of the beauty of making this salad the star of a late-summer grilled meal. You can do most of the prep for the dish in your probably air-conditioned kitchen while the fire heats up outside. Then, shortly before serving time, just pop outside to brown the fish briefly on all sides on the grill. (For the best flavor and texture, I like to serve the tuna still rare in the center, but you could also cook it a bit longer for medium-rare or medium, if you prefer.) I also use the fire to toast some slices of sourdough bread before topping them with goat cheese and the olive paste known as tapenade, to make a delicious, crispy accompaniment to each salad.

It's that easy. Yet, you and your family and guests will marvel at the spectacular results you've achieved during these last few precious days of the grilling season.

 

Grilled Fresh Ahi Tuna Salad Nicoise Recipe

Serves 4

1/2 pound slender organic French beans, trimmed

3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme leaves

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

2 medium onions, cut into slices 1/4 inch thick

2 organic red bell peppers, roasted, peeled, stemmed, seeded, and cut into strips 1/4 inch thick

2 organic yellow bell peppers, roasted, peeled, stemmed, seeded, and cut into strips 1/4 inch thick

1-1/2 cups Nicoise Salad Dressing (recipe follows)

12 ounces organic fingerling potatoes, boiled and peeled

2 cups assorted cherry tomatoes, cut in halves

4 slices sourdough bread

1 garlic clove, halved and peeled

4 tablespoons fresh, creamy goat cheese, preferably herb-flavored

2 tablespoons store-bought prepared olive tapenade

4 center-cut sushi-grade ahi tuna fillets, each about 6 ounces

4 teaspoons cracked coriander seeds

8 cups (2 quarts) organic mixed baby lettuces, rinsed and patted dry

3/4 cup pitted Nicoise-style olives

2 cage-free eggs, hard-boiled, peeled, and cut lengthwise in quarters

12 oil-packed anchovy fillets, patted dry

Prepare a fire in an outdoor grill.

Meanwhile, bring a saucepan of lightly salted water to a boil and fill a bowl with ice cubes and water. Add the beans to the boiling water and cook until tender-crisp, 2 to 3 minutes. Drain and immediately submerge in the ice water to cool. Drain, pat dry, transfer to a bowl, drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil, sprinkle with thyme, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Toss well and set aside.

In a saute pan, heat 4 tablespoons oil over medium heat. Add the onions and saute, stirring constantly, until caramelized, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.

In another bowl, toss together the peppers and 1/4 cup of the dressing. Set aside.

Cut the potatoes into 1/4-inch slices. Put in another small bowl, add 1/2 cup dressing, and toss. Set aside.

In another bowl, toss the tomatoes with 1/4 cup dressing. Set aside.

Brush the bread with some olive oil. Toast on the grill until golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Set aside to cool, then rub with the garlic. On each slice, spread 1 tablespoon goat cheese and top with 1 teaspoon tapenade.

Brush the tuna with the remaining oil and season with coriander, salt, and pepper. Grill until seared golden brown but still rare in the center, about 1 minute per side. With a sharp knife, cut each fillet crosswise into 1/4-inch slices.

In a large mixing bowl, toss the lettuces with 1/2 cup dressing.

To serve, mound the lettuce in the centers of 4 serving plates. Arrange small mounds of French beans, onion, bell peppers, potatoes, tomatoes, and olives around the perimeter. Place eggs on top of the peppers and anchovies on the potatoes. Arrange the tuna on the lettuces. Place a slice of toast on each plate.

 

Nicoise Salad Dressing

Makes about 2-1/2 cups

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

1/4 cup Dijon mustard

2 tablespoons minced garlic

2 tablespoons minced shallots

1-1/2 cups extra-virgin olive oil

Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Pinch sugar

In a bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, vinegar, mustard, garlic and shallots. Whisking continuously, slowly drizzle in the oil to form a thick emulsion. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and sugar. Refrigerate in a covered container. Whisk before use.

Seafood Recipe, French Cuisine

 

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