Seared albacore tuna with Greek salad
Ingredients
Seared albacore tuna:
- 8 ounces (227 g) albacore tuna loin, cut lengthwise
- Olive oil
- Salt and pepper
Olive tapenade:
- 1 cup (240 ml) Kalamata olives, pitted
- 1 cup (240 ml) garlic stuffed anzanilla olives
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) sun-dried tomatoes
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) Greek olive oil
- 1/8 cup (30 ml) honey
- Cracked black pepper
Olive and tomato crispy flatbread:
- 2 cups (470 ml) all-purpose flour, plus extra to flour station
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) herbes de Provence
- 1 teaspoon (5 ml) sugar
- Salt and pepper
- 1 cup (240 ml) olive tapenade
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) cold water
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) olive oil
- Sea salt
Oregano whipped feta:
- 1 cup (240 ml) crème fraiche
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) water
- 1 bunch oregano, chopped
- 1 clove garlic
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) parsley, chopped
- 1-1/2 cup (350 ml) feta, soft
- Cracked black pepper
Cucumber string salad:
- 1 large cucumber
- 1 lemon, juice
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) honey
- Salt and pepper
Oven roasted grape tomatoes:
- 12 grape tomatoes
- 2 cloves garlic, sliced thin
- 4 sprigs thyme, tips only (no more than 1 in/2.5 cm long)
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) olive oil
- Salt and pepper
Pickled shallots:
- 6 small shallots
- 2 cups (470 ml) red wine vinegar
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) sugar
- Salt and pepper
Directions
- For the seared albacore tuna, heat olive oil in a skillet over high heat. Season tuna loin with salt and pepper, and sear on all sides for 15 to 20 seconds each, until lightly browned.
- Remove from heat and let rest for two minutes before slicing into medallions.
- For the olive tapenade, in a food processor, combine the Kalamata and Manzanilla olives, sun-dried tomatoes, olive oil, and honey, and season with pepper. Process to a coarse, uniform, spreadable texture.
- For the olive and tomato crispy flatbread, preheat the oven to 400°F (205°C).
- Combine the flour, herbes de Provence, and sugar in a mixing bowl. Season with salt and pepper, and whisk to combine.
- In a second bowl, whisk together the tapenade, water, and tomato paste.
- Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and combine thoroughly, then transfer to floured work surface, and knead for two to three minutes until a rollable dough is formed.
- Use a rolling pin to roll the dough, in batches if needed, to a thickness of 1/16 inch (1 to 2 mm). Transfer to a lined baking sheet, brush the top with olive oil, and season with sea salt.
- Bake for eight minutes, then turn off the oven, crack the door, and leave it in the oven to rest for one hour. Crush into small shards before plating.
- For the oregano whipped feta, in a blender or food processor, combine the crème fraiche, water, oregano, garlic, parsley and feta. Season with black pepper and process until smooth, light, and bright green.
- For the cucumber string salad, peel the cucumber, remove seeds, and use a mandoline fitted with a julienne blade to cut into long strings.
- Place cucumber strings in a small mixing bowl and add lemon, honey, salt, and pepper. Toss together and refrigerate for one hour.
- For the oven roasted grape tomatoes, preheat oven to 225°F (105°C).
- Slice the tomatoes in half, then arrange them, cut side up on a grill rack fitted over a baking sheet.
- Top each tomato with one slice of garlic, one sprig-tip of thyme, and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and roast for 75 minutes, until dry and leathery.
- For the pickled shallots, peel and cut off the very tip and base, leaving it whole.
- In a small saucepan, combine the shallots, vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper, and bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat.
- Continue simmering for 60 to 75 minutes, until shallots are soft and vinegar has reduced to a syrup.
- Transfer to a heat-proof pan, and use a blowtorch to char slightly.
- To serve, make a stencil by cutting a 1-3/4 x 6 inch (4.25 x 15 cm) rectangular hole through a thin piece of cardboard or a silicone baking mat. Place over a plate and add a spoonful of the Oregano Whipped Feta, using a small offset spatula to spread the mixture evenly into the negative space. Carefully remove the stencil to reveal a neat green rectangle on the plate.
- Add a medallion of tuna over the right edge of the rectangle, brush with tapenade, and cover with a very thin layer of broken bits of crispy flatbread.
- Add two roasted grape tomatoes over the left side and one pickled shallot near the tomatoes.
- Use precision tongs to roll up a small amount of cucumber string noodles into a ball and arrange over the far left corner of the sauce.
