This recipe can be made with any fish, but this calls for Ahi tuna steaks. By the way, it IS fabulous with any fish you really like.
Guacamole
- 1/4 cup chopped red onion
- 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
- 2 ripe avocados
- 3 tbsp. diced tomato, seeds removed
- 2 tsp. Sriracha chile sauce
- 4 tsp. chopped cilantro
- 2 tbsp. chopped flat leaf parsley
- salt and pepper to taste
Combine the onion and lime juice in a bowl and let stand for 15 minutes. Halve and scoop out the flesh of the avocados in a bowl and mash with a potato masher. Stir in the remaining ingredients. Press plastic wrap on the surface and set aside.
Grilling the Tuna
- 2 cups red cabbage, sliced thin (slivered)
- 2 tsp. vegetable oil
- 1 tsp. cider vinegar
- 2 lbs. tuna steaks, sliced 1 inch thick
- 12 x 6 inch corn tortillas
Place the slivered cabbage, oil and vinegar in a bowl. Season with a touch of salt and pepper. Stir to mix. Cover tightly and set aside.
Preheat the barbecue and wipe the grills with oil. Season the tuna on both sides with the salt and pepper and grill, only until rare….2 minutes each side tops.
Transfer to a cutting board and slice AGAINST the grain with a very sharp knife.
Warm the tortillas by placing on the grill for about 4-5 seconds per side. Lay them out on the counter, place a large dollop of the guacamole down the center and spread out. Split the tuna slices evenly among the tortillas and add a large topping of the cabbage slaw. Roll up and enjoy. I know….have a cold brew handy.
Hint: Use any fish you like and cook it as you like it. This is for those who really enjoy the tuna.
Tuna Nicoise Salad Tuscany Style
When in the South of France a couple of years ago, we ate this salad often. It really is delicious and certainly healthy. This will serve 6 people.
- 1 1/2 lbs. new potatoes, quartered
- 1 lb. asparagus OR fresh green beans, trimmed
- 1 cup creamy Caesar dressing, divided
- 1 tbsp. fresh Thyme, chopped
- 2 tsp. lemon zest (freshly grated)
- 12 oz. cooked tuna
- 8 cups baby spring mix lettuce
- 2 cups grape tomatoes
- 1 jar (12 oz.) of marinated artichoke quarters, drained
- 1/2 cup pitted black olives
- 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
- pinch of a T scan seasoning blend
- 6 hard boiled eggs, quartered
In a pot of water over high heat, boil the potatoes until fork tender (10 minutes). Add the asparagus or beans during the last 2 minutes. Drain, rinse under cold water until cool.
In a large bowl, combine the dressing, thyme and zest and set aside. Line a platter with the lettuce. In another bowl, toss together the tuna, the remaining 6 ingredients and the potato mixture; add 1/4 cup of dressing and arrange all this over the lettuce. Top with the eggs, and serve with the remaining dressing on the side.
Tuna Burgers With Ginger-Laced Mayonnaise
These burgers have a very bold and savory flavour. I wouldn’t think sissies should try it….aw, why not? Give it a go, it just may change your mind.
- 1/3 cup mayonnaise made with olive oil
- 2 tsp. grated fresh ginger
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 1 cup Panko crumbs
- 1 tbsp. fish sauce
- 2 tsp. Sriracha sauce
- 2 x 5 oz. cans of canned albacore tuna, rinsed
- 1/4 cup celery, sliced very thin
- 4 ciabatta buns, halved and toasted
- 1/3 cup pea shoots or, if you are lucky, micro greens
- 4 miniature sweet peppers, thinly sliced
Preheat oven to 450 degrees.In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise and ginger. Transfer 2 tbsp. to a large bowl. Cover the remaining mayo mixture and chill.
In the same large bowl, add the eggs, panko crumbs, fish sauce and Sriracha sauce. Flake the tuna and add to the bowl. Add the celery and let stand for about 10 minutes. Shape into four burger patties.
Place the burgers on a parchment lined baking sheet (or use the bbq) baking for 10 minutes or until they reach a temperature of 160 degrees.
Serve on toasted ciabatta buns, add a patty to the bottom of the buns, add the pea shoots, sliced peppers and top buns.
These should wake up the sleepy taste buds.
A Few More Lunch Ideas To Take With You
This one is easy to make. If you are having grilled chicken for dinner on, say, Sunday, make one more for you to put together this sandwich to take for lunch on Monday. Remember the mantra….cook once, eat twice.
Grilled Chicken And Slaw
- 1/4 of a small cabbage
- 5 tbsp. lowfat yogurt
- 1 tsp. mustard
- 1 tbsp. cider vinegar
- salt and pepper
- 1 sprig fresh tarragon, torn
- 1 whole chicken breast, cut in half
- 2 2-ounce sections fresh baguette, cut open lengthwise
Remove outer leaves of the cabbage and core it. Slice very thin shreds and set aside in a small bowl.
In another bowl, whisk together the yogurt, mustard, vinegar, salt and pepper. Add this to the shredded cabbage and tarragon, tossing to coat well.
Place each breast half between plastic wrap and pound out with the flat side of a meat mallet (Girls, just think of mamograms). Season with salt and pepper.
Grill for 2-3 minutes and then turn over, cooking a further 2 minutes. (Do this the night before to save time).
To make the sandwiches, simply cut and place the chicken to fit the baguette and, when ready to eat, top with 1/4 cup of coleslaw.
That makes a better lunch than cottage cheese and plain water. Yuk!
OR try this one…
Tuna Salad Sandwiches, the healthy way
- 3 sun-dried tomato halves
- 1 6 oz. tuna, packed in water
- 1 celery stalk, peeled and sliced thin
- 1/4 small red onion, finely diced
- 1 small carrot, peeled and grated
- 1/3 cup diced fennel
- 3 tbsp. freshly chopped dill
- 1 1/2 tbsp. finely chopped flat leaf parsley
- 1 tbsp. fresh lime juice
- 2-3 drops Tabasco sauce (to taste)
- pepper
- 1 1/2 tbsp. mayonnaise
- 1 1/2 tbsp. nonfat yogurt
- 1 1/2 tsp. mustard
- pinch of salt
- 1 English cucumber, unpeeled and sliced very thin
- 1 cup fresh pea sprouts
- 3 2-ounce pita, cut open
Rinse the tomatoes in hot water and remove the oils and rehydrate in boiling water for 1 minute. Chop and set aside.
In a bowl combine the tomatoes, tuna, celery, onion, carrot, fennel, dill, parsley, lime juice, Tabasco and pepper. Mix well with a fork.
Assemble the sandiches dividing equally in the pitas and top with the pea sprouts and line one side with cucumber slices.
These should break the habit of same old-same old sandwiches.
Yum!
Grilled Tuna With Avocado, Ginger And Lime
This is a nice change of pace…as long as you have either a barbecue or simply heat a grill pan on the stove top. Add a glass of Chardonnay and the pairing is unbelieveable.
Vinaigrette
- 1 jalapeno, seeds removed and chopped fine
- 2 tsp. grated fresh ginger
- 1 garlic clove, grated
- juice from 4 limes
- 1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce
- 1/4 tsp. sugar
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- pinch of kosher salt and pepper
Whisk all the ingredients together until well combined.
- 4 blocks of sushi-quality tuna
- 4 ripe avocados, halved, peeled, pitted and sliced
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro
- 3 1/2 cups greens of your choice
Preheat grill on high heat or heat grill pan on stove-top until hot. Season the tuna with some kosher salt and pepper. Lay the tuna on the hot grill and sear for 1 minute on each side until a slight crust. Drizzle the tuna with a couple of teaspoons of the vinaigrette. Transfer to 4 plates with the salad greens and avocado slices arranged in a circle and drizzle with the dressing, serving the rest on the side to be added as wanted.
As I said, add a glass of chilled Chardonnay and you have a feast fit for a king .