Eat
Spring salads are the first glimpse of what is to come for the upcoming season. Winter is gradually tucking away its cold winds and gloomy days while we wait with bated breath for sunny days and fresh local produce to make its appearance.
In this month's issue of the eat section, I have taken an all-time favorite and given it a different twist by making use of the bounty of local asparagus and fresh spinach that is just beginning to make its way into the market.
This recipe is my own adaptation of a favorite of mine from Simple Organic Kitchen Garden. To make the most of this recipe, be sure not to overcook the vegetables and by all means, make a fresh vinaigrette to top it off — in good taste.
How good is that...
Fresh Tuna Nicoise w/ Asparagus
Ingredients:
- 4 Fresh Tuna Steaks (4 oz each)
- 3 Tbsp. Olive Oil
- ½ pound Fresh Asparagus, Blanched
- Romaine Lettuce
- Fresh Spinach Leaves, for accent
- 4 medium red potatoes, quartered
- 4 ripe plum tomatoes
- 2 red bell peppers, cut into strips
- Anchovy filets, in oil, drained and halved lengthwise
- 4 hard boiled eggs, sliced
- Large black olives
- Kosher salt and fresh coarsely ground black pepper
Technique:
To start, lay the tuna steaks on a small cookie sheet or plate and brush with olive oil on both sides. Season with salt and pepper. Heat a cast iron, ridged skillet to very hot. Grill the tuna on each side for about 2 minutes. The center of the steaks should be a little pink and juicy inside — do not overcook!
Prepare the asparagus in a steamer until just tender, for about 3 minutes. Run under cold water, immediately to stop the cooking process. Grill the red bell peppers, seed and slice into thin strips.
Boil eggs until they reach a hard-boil state. Scrub, quarter and boil potatoes until tender. Run under cool water and drain. Set aside.
Wash and separate lettuce leaves and spinach. Arrange them on four plates. Add quartered potatoes, eggs, tomatoes, bell pepper, olives and anchovy filets; dividing evenly among each plate. Top each salad plate with tuna steak.
Prepare vinaigrette and drizzle over top of each salad. Finish with a fresh ground black pepper, if desired.
Red wine vinaigrette
- 8 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 2 cloves fresh garlic, crushed
- 1 teaspoon cold water
Whisk together all ingredients in a small bowl using a wire whisk until well-blended. Serve over salad.
