Ingredients
- 4 tablespoon tomato
- 1 teaspoon shallot
- 1 tablespoon italian parsley
- 3 pinch thyme leaves
- 3 pinch Salt and pepper
- 1 pinch English cucumber
- 1 pinch lemon
- 1 1/2 cup haricots verts
- 1 cup egg
- 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
- 1/4 cup canola oil
- 4 ounce tuna
Preparation
Baking Directions:
It’s okay to cook the tuna up to two hours before you want to serve it.
Slice it as soon as it comes out of the pan, which allows it to retain that beautiful red interior, then cover it with plastic and store it in the fridge until serving time.
Combine the tomatoes, 1 teaspoon minced shallot, chopped parsley, and 1 pinch thyme.
Season with salt and pepper and reserve.
Arrange the cucumbers in two rows of 4 to 5 slices each down the center of each plate.
Season with salt and a few drops of the lemon juice.
Combine the haricots verts with the shallot rings, chopped egg, and 2 tablespoons of Spicy Lemon Vinaigrette.
Season with salt and pepper and toss together gently.
Spread the haricots verts mixture along the top of the cucumber slices.
Place fennel seeds in a small sauté pan and toast over high heat until lightly browned and fragrant, about 2 minutes.
Coarsely crack the fennel seeds using a mortar and pestle or spice grinder.
(Or place them on a cutting board, cover them with the bottom of a sauce pan, and crush them by pressing down firmly.)
Place a dry sauté pan over high heat for 2 to 3 minutes, until very hot.
Add the canola oil and swirl around the pan.
Rub both sides of the tuna pieces with fennel seeds, the remaining 2 pinches thyme, and salt and pepper.
When the oil in the pan is very hot, sear the tuna for 30 seconds to 1 minute on each side.
Deglaze with the remaining lemon juice and remove the tuna pieces from the pan, transferring them to a cutting board.
Immediately cut each piece into five slices with a sharp knife and arrange in a line over the haricots verts.
Spoon 1 tablespoon of Tomato Confit mixture down the center of the tuna.
Drizzle 1 tablespoon of Spicy Lemon Vinaigrette over and around the tuna on each plate, and serve.
Tips:
The traditional Tuna Salad Nicoise has become a tired staple at American garden-club luncheons.
This modern version replaces the can of Starkist or Chicken of the Sea with fresh, sushi-grade tuna and uses a simple Spicy Lemon Vinaigrette instead of bottled dressing.
I removed the usual potatoes and added crisp English cucumbers to create a fresh, vibrant salad.
