Seared Tuna Salad over Grilled Bread with Avocado and Tapenade.

Posted by Gabi on Monday, January 4, 2010

This delicious salad/sandwich is a hybrid of French Salade Nicoise and Italian Panzanella. Delicate Arbequina Extra Virgin Olive Oil compliments the succulent tuna and the salty tapenade. Creamy avocado gives the dish a delicious and much-appreciated richness.

Ingredients

1 small baguette, sliced in half lengthwise
1 fresh yellow fin tuna steak, about 1/2 lb
2 cups freshly-washed arugula
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1 small bunch mint, chopped finely
Arbequina Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
about 15 fresh green beans, ends removed, halved
1 small bunch basil, chopped finely
3 tbsp of your favorite tapenade from The Olive Press
1 avocado, peeled, pit removed
salt and freshly-cracked pepper

Directions

Heat about 1 tbsp olive oil over high heat in a frying pan. While oil heats, cover both sides of the tuna steak with freshly-cracked pepper and salt to taste. Sear tuna for about 1 minute on each side (or more if you prefer your tuna less rare). Remove from heat and slice on the bias into 1/2” thick slices.

Heat a grill or grill pan over high heat. Drizzle the insides of the bread liberally with olive oil. Grill bread for 2-4 minutes or until toasted with grill marks.

In a small bowl, gently mash the avocado with the tapenade. Set aside.

Toss together the arugula, tomatoes, and mint. Dress with 1 tbsp olive oil and the balsamic vinegar.

To assemble the salad, smear the grilled bread with the olive-avocado tapenade. Arrange the salad over the bread and top with the tuna slices.

Serves 2-3.