Tuna Salads

Mediterranean tuna salad

• 1 baby cos lettuce, leaves torn
• 200g red grape tomatoes, halved
• 1 small red onion, halved, thinly sliced
• 1 Lebanese cucumber, cut into 2cm cubes
• 1 green capsicum, cut into 2cm cubes
• 2/3 cup feta
• 2/3 cup pitted kalamata olives
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano
• 2 x 185g cans tuna in oil
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• crusty bread, to serve

METHOD

1. Place lettuce, tomatoes, onion, cucumber, capsicum, feta, olives and oregano in a large bowl.
2. Add tuna (undrained). Drizzle with vinegar. Season with pepper. Toss gently to combine. Serve.

Classic Nicoise Salad

Ingredients

• 1 pound red-skinned potatoes, sliced 1/3 inch thick
• salt
• 2 tablespoons dry white wine
• 10 ounces haricots verts or thin green beans, trimmed
• 4 large eggs
• 1/4 cup white wine vinegar
• 1/2 shallot, minced (about 2 tablespoons)
• 2 tablespoons dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
• Freshly ground pepper
• 3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 8 cherry tomatoes or small cocktail tomatoes, halved or quartered
• 1 head Boston lettuce, leaves separated
• 6 radishes, trimmed and quartered
• 2 5 1/2-ounce cans Italian or Spanish tuna packed in olive oil, drained
• 1/2 cup nicoise olives

Directions

1. Put the potatoes in a medium saucepan; cover with cold water and season with salt. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat and cook until fork-tender, about 5 minutes. Drain and transfer to a medium bowl; drizzle with the wine and let cool. Reserve the saucepan.
2. Meanwhile, bring a separate saucepan of salted water to a boil. Fill a bowl with salted ice water. Add the haricots verts to the boiling water; cook until crisp-tender and bright green, 2 to 4 minutes. Drain and immediately plunge into the ice water to cool; drain and pat dry.
3. Place the eggs in the reserved saucepan and cover with cold water by about 1 inch. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, then cover, remove from the heat and let stand, 10 to 12 minutes. Drain, then run under cold water to cool. Peel under cold running water.
4. Make the dressing: Whisk the vinegar, shallot, mustard, thyme, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste in a bowl. Whisk in the olive oil in a slow, steady stream until emulsified.
5. Toss the tomatoes ian a small bowl with salt and pepper to taste. Add about 1/4 cup dressing to the potatoes and toss. Quarter the hard-cooked eggs.
6. Divide the lettuce among 4 plates. Arrange the potatoes, haricots verts, radishes, hard-cooked eggs and tuna on top. Pour any juices from the tomatoes into the dressing, then add the tomatoes to the plates. Drizzle with the dressing and top with the olives.

Israeli Couscous and Tuna Salad

Ingredients

• 2 cups Israeli couscous (10 to 12 ounces)
• 2 (7-ounce) cans or jars Italian tuna, drained and flaked
• 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest (2 lemons)
• 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1/2 cup good olive oil
• 3 tablespoons capers, drained
• 1/2 cup pitted, oil-cured black olives, coarsely chopped (3 ounces)
• 1/2 cup jarred roasted red peppers, medium-diced (4 ounces)
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic (2 cloves)
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup chopped scallions (6-8 scallions)
• 1/4 cup julienned fresh basil leaves, lightly packed
• Juice of 1/2 lemon

Directions

1. Bring 4 cups of water to a boil in a medium-size saucepan. 
2. Add the couscous and reduce the heat to very low. 
3. Cover the pot and simmer for 12 to 15 minutes, until the couscous is just tender. (I pull the pot halfway off the heat.) Drain in a colander.
4. Meanwhile, combine the tuna, lemon zest, lemon juice, olive oil, capers, olives, red peppers, garlic, 1 tablespoon salt, and 1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper in a large bowl. Pour the hot couscous into the mixture and stir well. 
5. Cover and set aside for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. 
6. Just before serving, stir in the scallions, basil, juice of the 1/2 lemon, and 1 more teaspoon of salt. 
7. Taste for seasonings and serve warm or at room temperature.

Mouth-Watering Quick Grilling Recipes

Open-Face Grilled Eggplant Sandwiches

Ingredients
Eight 1/2-inch-thick slices of peasant bread
Extra-virgin olive oil, for brushing
One 1 1/4-pound eggplant, sliced crosswise 1 inch thick
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 plum tomatoes, sliced crosswise 1/4 inch thick
1/2 pound buffalo mozzarella, sliced 1/4 inch thick
8 large basil leaves, torn
Coarse sea salt
Method
Light a grill.

Brush the bread on both sides with olive oil and grill over high heat until crisp on the outside but still soft inside, about 30 seconds per side.

Transfer to a platter.
Brush the eggplant slices with olive oil and season generously with salt and pepper.

Grill over moderate heat until charred on the bottom, about 5 minutes.

Turn and grill until tender, about 3 minutes longer.
Top the eggplant with the tomato, mozzarella and basil.

Cover the grill and cook until the cheese melts, 2 minutes.

Transfer the eggplant to the bread, sprinkle with sea salt and serve.

Grilled Tuna with Smoked-Almond Romesco Sauce
ingredients
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons smoked almonds (2 1/2 ounces)
One 3-inch piece of baguette, cubed
1 garlic clove
1 cup canned diced tomatoes
2 roasted red bell peppers from a jar, drained
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
1/4 teaspoon pimentón de la Vera
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
Four 1-inch-thick tuna steaks
Method
Light a grill.

In a food processor, coarsely chop the almonds, bread cubes and garlic.

Add the tomatoes, roasted red peppers, sherry vinegar and pimentón and puree until smooth. With the machine on, gradually add the oil. Season with salt and pepper.
Season the tuna with salt and pepper.

Grill over moderate heat, turning once, for 6 minutes for medium-rare, or 8 minutes for medium.

Transfer the tuna to plates. Spoon some of the romesco sauce over the fish and pass the rest at the table.

Fajitas with Roquefort
ingredients
8 6-inch flour or corn tortillas
3 tablespoons cooking oil
2 onions, cut into thin slices
2 green bell peppers, cut into thin strips
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 pounds skirt steak, cut into 2 pieces
1/4 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper
1/4 pound Roquefort or other blue cheese, crumbled (about 1 cup)
Method
Heat the oven to 350°.

Stack the tortillas and wrap them in aluminum foil.

Warm in the oven for about 15 minutes.
In a large frying pan, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil over moderately high heat.

Add the onions, peppers, and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned, about 10 minutes. Set aside.
Light the grill.

Coat the steaks with the remaining 1 tablespoon oil.

Sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and the black pepper.

Grill the steaks for 3 minutes.

Turn the meat and cook to your taste, 2 to 3 minutes longer for medium rare.

Let rest in a warm spot for 5 minutes.

Cut the steaks diagonally across the grain into thin slices.
Roll the steak slices, onions and peppers, and Roquefort in the warm tortillas.

Grilled Shrimp with Couscous Salad

ingredients
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 teaspoon dried tarragon
1 clove garlic, halved
2 pounds large shrimp, shelled
2 cups canned low-sodium chicken broth or homemade stock
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/3 cups couscous
2 1/2 cups watercress, tough stems removed (from a 5-ounce bunch)
2 scallions including green tops, chopped
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 pound tomatoes, diced
1/2 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper
Lemon wedges, for serving
Method
Light the grill.

In a small saucepan, combine the oil, tarragon, and garlic.

Cook over moderately low heat until the garlic just starts to brown, about 3 minutes.

Remove from the heat, let the oil cool slightly, and then discard the garlic.

Thread the shrimp onto metal or wooden skewers and brush with 1 1/2 tablespoons of the tarragon oil.
In a medium saucepan, bring the broth to a boil with 3/4 teaspoon of the salt.

Stir in the couscous.

Cover, remove from the heat, and let sit for 5 minutes.

In a large glass or stainless-steel bowl, toss the couscous with the watercress, scallions, lemon juice, tomatoes, and the remaining tarragon oil, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and the pepper.
Meanwhile, grill the shrimp, turning once, until just done, about 5 minutes.

Serve the shrimp skewers on top of the couscous salad with lemon wedges on the side.

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