Zaatar Crusted Tuna With Cured Tomatoes And Merguez Vinaigrette Recipes

Steps:

• In a chilled bowl, mix ingredients together. Mold tuna into small towers either using a pvc pipe, ramekin or cut out can.
• Cut 2-inch asparagus spears and save. Take the rest of the asparagus and roughly chop. In a blender, add 1/2 cup chopped asparagus with mustard and juice. Blend at high speed and add oils. Check for seasoning. Toss spears in vinaigrette. Place spears in a flat circle and top with tuna. Drizzle a little of the vinaigrette on the plate. Garnish with sesame seeds.

Steps:

• Slice all the vegetables thinly with a very sharp mandoline and put them in icy water for about an hour. Combine marinade ingredients. Cut the tuna in a long thin slices about 1/2-inch thick and let sit in the marinade for about 20 minutes. In a medium size skillet over high heat sear the tuna briefly, until rare. Reserve on the side once done. Drain all the vegetables, dry them and season with a little bit of lemon and olive oil seasoned to taste. Place a small amount in the middle of the plate and add the thin slice of tuna on top of it. Combine tapenade dressing and drizzle vinaigrette on tuna.

Steps:

• In a dry skillet on medium heat, toast the white sesame seeds until they are just beginning to turn light golden brown and fragrant. Remove from heat and spread seeds on a plate. Add the black sesame seeds to the plate if using, and stir seeds around with fingertips to combine.
• Brush the tuna pieces on all sides with olive oil. Season on all sides with salt and pepper, and dip tuna pieces in the seeds, pressing to coat on all sides. Set aside on a wax foil lined cookie sheet.
• When ready to cook, heat the 2 tablespoons olive oil on medium high in the skillet. When oil is hot, add the butter, when the butter foams, add the fish to the skillet. Let cook without moving the fish for about 1 1/2 to 2 minutes, until the sesame crust begins to crisp and brown. When the crust is golden brown, turn the fish and cook until the other side is golden brown and crisp, about another 2 minutes, adding additional butter if needed to keep the fish from sticking and speed up the browning. Once the second side is browned, turn the fish pieces on edge with tongs, to brown the remaining sides.
• Remove from heat and set aside. Fish will be medium rare at this point. If you prefer fish more well done, place the ban with the fish in a 375 degree F oven for another 3 to 5 minutes.
• To serve, slice each portion in half and place on the pasta bed with the edges overlapping. Sprinkle with finishing salt, if desired.

Steps:

• Stir together 1/2 cup olive oil, 1 tablespoon parsley, and red pepper flakes. Toss tuna with marinade, and set aside to marinate for 30 minutes.
• Pour vinegar, orange juice, lemon juice, lime juice, and soy sauce into the bowl of a blender. Add shallot, 1 tablespoon parsley, thyme, dill, honey, Dijon mustard, jalapeno, and ginger. Blend on high until smooth, then add 3/4 cups olive oil in a slow, steady stream with the blender running. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and set aside.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Fill another large container with half ice, half cold water, and set aside. Add the haricots verts to the boiling water, and cook until just tender, 35 to 40 seconds. Remove from the water, and immediately plunge into the ice water to cool. Next, blanch the carrots until just tender, about 1 1/2 minutes; chill in ice water until cold.
• When the vegetables are cold, remove from the ice water and pat dry. Place into a large bowl, and toss with the halved tomatoes, olives, onion, and chervil; set aside.
• Heat a heavy-bottomed skillet over high heat until very hot. Remove tuna steaks from marinade, and wipe off excess marinade. Season the tuna to taste with salt and pepper, then sear in hot skillet to desired doneness, about 1 minute per side for rare.
• To assemble, toss the vegetable salad with enough dressing to lightly coat. Divide the salad among 4 plates, and place a seared tuna steak on top of each. Drizzle with additional dressing to serve.

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.