♥︎Grilled tuna with green beans, lemon, garlic & eggs

For ➍

1 tbs olive oil*

300 g green beans

4 tuna steaks, 220 g each & 3 cm thick

1 tbs extra virgin oil

2-3 eggs

2 cloves of garlic

lemon (finely chopped zest of a lemon)

Hard boil the eggs in 10 m, peel them and rub them through a sieve.

Clean the beans and cook them until al dente.

Shock them in ice water and then drain them well.

Heat the olive oil in a pan and fry the garlic in it.

Add the beans and heat well.

Season with the lemon zest, pepper and salt and carefully mix in the finely ground eggs.

Keep warm.

Rub the tuna steaks with extra virgin olive oil and grill them for about 5 m.

Season with pepper and salt afterwards.

Serve with the beans and southern sauce of your choice.

*or vegetable fat

Seared tuna on spicy risotto

For ➋

1  garlic clove, peeled & crushed

2 tbs olive oil

2 x 200 g tuna steaks

2 tbs olive oil

300 g risotto rice

5 spring onions, chopped

6 chestnut mushrooms, chopped

2 pinches chilli flakes

2 pinches  curry powder

20 cl white wine

80 cl fish fumet or chicken stock

sea salt & pepper, freshly ground

10  cherry tomatoes

2 tbs olive oil

1 lime, quartered

Preheat the oven to 200°C.

Mix together the lime juice, garlic, olive oil and salt & pepper in a shallow dish. Add the tuna and turn over several times to coat in the marinade. Place in the refrigerator until required.

For the risotto heat the oil in a wok until it is smoking, add the risotto rice, spring onions and mushrooms and fry for 4-5 m. Add the chilli flakes, curry powder and wine and bring to the boil, when the wine has been absorbed slowly add the stock. Bring the mixture to a simmer and gradually add the fumet or stock continuously stirring for 18-20 m until the rice is creamy and tender.

In the meantime, place the tomatoes into a roasting tin, drizzle over the oil and season. Roast in the oven for 6-8 m.

Sear the marinated tuna in a hot chargrill pan for 1 m on each side or until browned all over and pink in the middle. Remove from the pan to rest.

To serve, spoon the spicy risotto into a shallow bowl and place the tuna steak on top. Arrange the roasted tomatoes over the tuna and garnish with half a lime.

Seared tuna on risotto with samphire & tomatoes

For ➋

tuna:

1 lime (juice only) 

1 garlic clove (peeled & crushed)  

2 tbs olive oil      

sea salt & pepper (freshly ground) 

2 x 200 g tuna steaks

risotto:  

2 tbs olive oil 

200 g risotto rice

50 g leek, chopped  

20 cl white wine  

80 c fish fumet    

sea salt & pepper (freshly ground) 

10 cherry tomatoes  

150 g samphire 

1 tbs Parmigiano

1 lime (quartered)

Mix together the lime juice, garlic, olive oil and salt & pepper in a shallow dish. Add the tuna and turn over several times to coat in the marinade. Place in the refrigerator until required.

Heat the fish fumet.

Heat some olive oil. Add the leek. Cover and cook mildly on moderate heat for 10-15 m. 

Add the rice until coated in the oil.

Slowly add the wine, and stir it through the rice.

Add most of the fumet. Cover and cook on moderate heat for 10-15 m, depending on the rice. Add some more fumet if needed.

Meanwhile, half the cherry tomatoes, and bake them in some oil.

Bring some of the fumet to boil and cook the samphire for 2-3 m.

When the risotto is soft and creamy, add 1 tbs Parmigiano. Add the tomatoes and samphire. Cover and let stand for 1 m. Spoon the risotto on plates

Bake or grill the tuna for 1 m on each side. Cut the tuna in nice slices and add to the plates. Serve immediately with quartered lime.

Fresh tuna & salade niçoise (French Riviera salad)

For ➏
400 g green beans, trimmed
750 g small potatoes
vegetable oil for brushing
20 g drained bottled capers
400 g lettuce (2 heads), leaves separated & large ones torn into pieces
1 bunch cherry tomatoes
100 g small brine-cured black olives
4 hard-boiled large eggs, quartered
3 tbs fresh parsley & basil, finely chopped
750 g (2,5 cm thick) tuna steaks*
ice-bowl with ice-cubes
20-25 cl (or 10 tbs for the salad +10 tbs for (optional) extra) salade niçoise dressing**

Cook beans in boiling salted water 3 to 4 m. Transfer to a bowl of ice and cold water to stop cooking. Add potatoes to boiling water and simmer 15 to 20 m, then drain. Halve potatoes while still warm (peel if desired) and toss with 2 tbs dressing in a bowl, then cool.
Prepare grill for cooking.
Brush tuna with oil and season with salt and pepper, then grill on lightly oiled rack, uncovered, turning over once, until browned on outside but still pink in centre, 6 to 8 m in total. Let tuna stand for 3 minutes, then break into large pieces. Put tuna on a large platter and drizzle with 2 to 3 tbs dressing and top with capers.< Add potatoes to platter with tuna. Drain beans and pat dry. Toss beans in bowl with 1 tbs dressing and salt and pepper to taste, then transfer to platter. Toss lettuce in bowl with 2 tbs dressing and salt and pepper to taste, then transfer to platter. Toss tomatoes in bowl with 1 tbs dressing and salt and pepper to taste, then transfer to platter. Arrange olives and eggs on platter and sprinkle salad with parsley and/or basil. Serve salad with remaining dressing on the side.

*You can do a light salad without the tuna. If you must, you can use canned tuna. If you prefer fully cooked tuna, try the marinating tuna recipe.
**Or try a lemon & mustard vinaigrette.

The salade was named niçoise by tourists, and originally meant a typical salad of the region, consisting mainly of tomatoes and olive oil. It became popular in the 60's, when scarcely clad, tan-hungry tourists from all over Europe were drawn to the French Riviera. The discussion thrives on about the original recipe of la sallada nissarda, mainly omitting green beans and potatoes from the now widely spread recipe.
The city of Nice is only a part of France since 1860. Before the treaty, it went its own way, mostly with Sardinian and Italian allies and influences, tough it was occupied by French (and Spanish) armies before. The Italian freedom fighter Garibaldi, born in Nice, tried to make it a part of Italy.
Picture in salade niçoise dressing shows the fishing nets on the beach of late 19th century Nice.
Read more Provençal recipes: salade niçoise dressing, Provençal garlic sauce, old-fashioned salade niçoise, Saint-Tropez (Provençal) chicken.

Seared swordfish steaks with salmoriglio & tomato & pepper salad

For ➍
for the salmoriglio:
6 tbs extra virgin olive oil
3 tbs water
1½ tbs lemon juice
pinch salt
1 garlic clove, very finely chopped
1 tbs chopped fresh oregano
1 tbs chopped fresh celery herb or celery leaves (optional)
1 tbs chopped fresh flatleaf parsley
for the swordfish:
4 x 200 g swordfish steaks (about 2 cm thick)
olive oil
peperoncini or crushed dried chillies
salt & freshly ground black pepper
for the salad dressing:
1½ tbs lemon juice
3 tbs extra virgin olive oil
1 medium-hot red chilli, seeds removed, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
salt & freshly ground black pepper
for the salad:
500 g ripe & juicy tomatoes, skinned, seeds removed, chopped
2 red peppers, roasted, peeled, seeds & stalk removed, cut into strips
1 small red onion, finely chopped
60 g preserved lemon, rinsed, flesh removed & discarded, skin chopped into small pieces
2 tbs chopped fresh coriander

Preheat a griddle pan until very hot, or preheat the barbecue, allowing the flames to die down (approximately 40 minutes).
For the salmoriglio, place the oil and water into a bowl and whisk together until thick and emulsified.
Add the lemon juice and a pinch of salt, to taste.
Add the garlic, oregano, celery herb or leaves (if using) and parsley and stir well.
For the swordfish, brush the swordfish generously with oil and season well with peperoncini or crushed dried chilli and salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Place the swordfish onto the griddle pan or barbecue and cook for four minutes on each side, or until completely cooked through.
For the dressing, place the lemon juice and olive oil into a clean bowl and mix well.
Add the red chilli, garlic and season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
To serve, place the swordfish steaks onto four plates and drizzle over the salmoriglio. Place a large spoonful of the chopped tomatoes next to each portion of swordfish.
Top each pile of tomatoes with a little of the sliced roasted peppers, followed by some red onion and a sprinkle of preserved lemon pieces.
Drizzle the dressing over the tomato salad and sprinkle over the chopped coriander.

Read a similar recipe for Sicilan swordfish and its salmoriglio.
Read tip on grilling and marinating swordfish.

Pico de Gallo

For ➍/ 50 cl
4 plum tomatoes, seeded & chopped
3 onions, finely chopped
2 fresh chili peppers, mild or hot, seeded & finely chopped
2 tbs red or yellow bell pepper, chopped
1½ ts fresh coriander leaves, finely chopped
1 ts lime juice
salt & pepper

Combine ingredients in a glass bowl and refrigerate for at least 30 m before serving or refrigerate it overnight.
Serve with Che Guevara's ceviche or another ceviche. Or with grilled tuna or salmon.

In 1953, the Mexican communist painter Frida Kahlo painted this Naturaleza Muerta Con Sandias (Still Life with Watermelon), coming close to the ingredients of a pico de gallo, combining fruit and peppers, in ever changing combinations, depending on the region. Sometimes it is closer to a (fruit) salad than a sauce, especially when the pieces are roughly chopped in not too small pieces. (Artist suggestion from the wonderful Feasting on Art site.)
Try the similar salsa fresca.
Or the green mango variation.

Salsa fresca

For ➍
2 medium tomatoes, roughly chopped
1 small white onion, diced small
1 jalapeno pepper, minced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tbs fresh lime juice
coarse salt and ground pepper
50 g (½ cup) loosely packed fresh coriander leaves, roughly chopped

In a medium bowl, stir together tomatoes, white onion, jalapeno, garlic, and fresh lime juice. Season with coarse salt and ground pepper and stir to combine. Let sit at least 15 ms (or, covered, up to 4 h). Stir in corinder leaves just before serving.
Serve with tortilla chips or as a condiment for grilled steak or shrimp.

Try the similar pico de gallo. Or the http://foodz.blogspot.be/2015/05/grilled-fish-with-green-mango-pico-de.html.
Alternate.

Lemon & parsley risoni

For ➍
350 g cooked risoni (or orzo pasta)
3 tbs mustard vinaigrette
1 tbs chopped fresh parsley
1½ ts lemon zest
¼ ts salt
¼ ts ground black pepper

Toss all of the ingredients together and chill for at least 1 h before serving.
Or add 160 g canned tuna, drained, and 1 additional tbs of mustard vinaigrette to the salad.

Orzo (Italian for 'barley'), also risoni (Italian for 'big rice') is a form of short-cut macaroni, shaped like a large grain of rice.
When using it in salads and other dishes, cook in a saucepan of salted boiling water for 8-10 m or until al dente. When adding it to soups, add 10 m before ready.

Lemon & mustard vinaigrette

For ➍
1 tbs lemon juice
2 tbs white wine vinegar
1 tbs Dijon mustard
1½ ts fresh lemon zest
1¼ ts fresh tarragon, chopped
1¼ ts salt
⅛ ts black pepper
1 small garlic clove, crushed and finely chopped
4 tbs olive oil, half light and half extra virgin

Put all ingredients in a glass jar, seal with a lid, and shake until ingredients are well incorporated.
Refrigerate leftovers.

This twist on classic vinaigrette tastes perfect tossed with mixed greens, risoni or drizzled over tuna niçoise.

Tomato & fennel salad with grilled fish

For ➍
400 g fish fillets (tuna, mackerel, trout)
a handful of fresh marjoram or oregano, leaves picked & chopped
8 nice plum tomatoes or 800g mixed tomatoes
2 bulbs of fennel, trimmed, coarse outer leaves removed, herby tops reserved
2 tbs balsamic vinegar
1 red chilli, deseeded & finely sliced*

2 lemons
sea salt & freshly ground black pepper
extra virgin olive oil

To make the salad, finely slice the tomatoes and season with salt and pepper. Arrange on your plates. Finely slice your fennel bulb and dress it in a bowl with extra virgin olive oil and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper then scatter over your tomatoes.

Mix together a good lug of extra virgin olive oil, a nice squeeze of lemon juice and a pinch of salt and pepper. Drizzle this all over the fish then pat on the chopped marjoram or oregano. Put your fillets (skin-down) on the hottest part of the clean (BBQ) grill.

If your fillets are 2 cm thick, they’ll only need about 2 m cooking time. If it still has the skin on, cook it skin-side down as it’s less likely to stick. Once cooked, remove to a warm plate. Remove the skin, flake the meat.

Serve salad on 4 large plates. Spoon over the fish. Scatter over the reserved fennel tops, drizzle with the balsamic vinegar and scatter with chilli*.

*optional.

Lemon grilled tuna steaks

For ➋-➍
4 tuna steaks, 2.5 cm thick
1 untreated lemon
3 medium cloves of garlic, grated
1 tbs sea salt (½ tbs table salt)
1 ts coarse ground black pepper
4 tbs olive oil

Use a vegetable peeler to peel the zest off the lemon. Use a sharp knife to cut the zest into long thin strips.

Rub the tuna steaks with the garlic. Sprinkle both sides with the salt and pepper. Put the steaks in a large freezer bag, and then scatter the lemon zest across them. Drizzle the olive oil all over the tuna. Seal the bag, pressing out as much air as you can. Put the tuna in the fridge overnight to marinate.

Take them out of the fridge while you heat up the grill (about 15 m).

The grill should be very hot. Grill one side until you see the red tuna turn beige about ⅓ of the way up the side. Flip, then grill the other side until only a hint of pink remains.

Serve the tuna steaks with a salad, in a bun with tomato and lettuce, or as a niçoise salad with lettuce, tomatoes, green beans, red onions, boiled egg and niçoise olives.

Tuna is mostly served almost rare to avoid dryness. The marinade allows to fully cook the fish.
Try some Niçoise recipes for a sandwich, the classic salade niçoise, or a tradional sallada Nissarda. Try the salad with a niçoise dressing.

Tartine niçoise (Tuna salad sandwich)

For ➋
140 g canned tuna, drained*
2½ tbs mayonnaise
2 ts chopped, fresh parsley
¼ ts ground black pepper
2 slices pain de campagne or sourdough bread
1 tbs lemon aïoli
1 handful loosely packed butterhead lettuce leaves
2-3 tbs niçoise olives
2 hard boiled eggs, sliced crosswise
½ ts chopped, fresh chives

Toss together the tuna, mayonnaise, parsley and black pepper. Set aside.
Drizzle half the lemon aïoli on each slice of bread. Layer the aïoli-seasoned surfaces of each slice of bread with half of the butterhead lettuce, prepared tuna salad, niçoise olives and hard boiled eggs.
Sprinkle the tartines with chopped chives and serve.

*Try with freshly grilled, marinated tuna.

This is a quick take on the traditional salade niçoise with fresh tuna. Read recipes for salade niçoise & old-fashioned salade niçoise.

Tomato, cucumber & ginger salsa

For ➍
6 tbs rice vinegar or white wine vinegar
2 tbs fish sauce (nam pla)
50 g sugar
400 g tomatoes, chopped into 1 cm pieces
1 cucumber, seeded & chopped into 1 cm pieces
1 small red onion, peeled & finely chopped
1 spring onion, trimmed & finely chopped
½ red chilli, seeded & finely chopped
juice of ½ a lime
2 tbs chopped fresh coriander
1 ts finely grated fresh ginger
4 portions baked fish

Boil the vinegar, fish sauce and sugar (stir to dissolve the sugar) in a saucepan for 5 m until it thickens slightly.

Place in a large mixing bowl. Leave to cool.

Add the tomatoes, cucumber, onion, chilli, lime juice, coriander and ginger.

Toss and add more lime juice or ginger if necessary.

Serve with fish baked in a parcel.

Tuna & sun dried tomatoes & white beans salad

For ➍
200 g can tuna in olive oil, drained & flaked*
1½ tbs freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 garlic clove
5 tbs extra virgin olive oil
400 cl can cannellini beans, drained & rinsed
5 tbs oil-packed sun dried tomatoes, drained & sliced**
4 tbs finely chopped red onion
2 tbs chopped fresh parsley or basil

Whisk lemon juice, garlic, ¼ ts salt, and ⅛ ts freshly ground pepper in bowl. Gradually whisk in olive oil.

Add beans, tuna, tomatoes, onion, and parsley. Cover and refrigerate to blend flavors, about 2 h.

Remove from refrigerator about 30 m before serving.

Serve at room temperature as a main course, or as a salad bar antipasto.

*Replace with 200 g sliced salami, or cold roasted chicken.
*Use broiled fresh tuna steaks instead.
**Grill sliced Roma tomatoes for a few m, with some salt. Sprinkle with olive oil.

Read tip on drying tomatoes in the oven.

Polpettone di tonno ai capperi (cold tuna loaf)

For ➍
2 tins of 200 g tuna in brine
2 egg whites
20 g Parmesan cheese, grated
2 tbs capers in vinegar
4 anchovy fillets in oil
dressing:
6 basil leaves
1 non-waxed lemon
4 tbs extra virgin olive oil
salt

Drain the tuna and mash with a fork. Combine the tuna, egg whites, cheese, the zest of the lemon and the drained anchovy fillets and whiz in a food processor until you get a uniform paste. Mix in the whole capers.

Soak a sheet of grease proof paper in water for 2 m and lay it flat on the work surface.

Place the tuna mix onto the centre of the paper and form into a thick sausage shape. It help if you do this with wet hands.

Roll up the paper and twist the ends to form a sausage shape. Tie the ends with kitchen string.

Poach the roll in just boiling water for 45 m. Remove from the water and allow to cool. Refrigerate for at least 2 h.

When ready to serve, unwrap the loaf and cut into 1 to 2 cm rounds.

Make a dressing by mixing the olive oil, the juice from the lemon, chopped basil leaves and a pinch of salt.

Serve with green salad leaves (rocket, lambs lettuce) and fresh bread.

*8 to 10 as an antipasto, starter.
**Alternatively, serve on slice of toasted bread.

Radiatori col tonno (pasta with tuna)

For ➋
250 g radiatori pasta
150 g canned tuna, drained
50 g Parmigiano cheese, grated
20 cl cream

Heat the water. Plunge in the radiatori and cook for 20 m (or until al dente).

Flake the tuna and mix with cream. Heat for 3 m. Add the cheese and let it slightly melt.

Mix sauce with radiatori. Serve warm.

*Alternatively, use 20 g butter, mix it with a fork with the tuna and cheese into a crumbled sauce. Add it to the warm radiatori and let it melt slightly.

Tuna fish sandwich

For ➊
1 small can tuna (in water), drained
2 tbs carrots, finely chopped
2 tbs celery, finely chopped
1½ tbs coriander, finely chopped
1 tbs mayonnaise
½ ts wasabi*
½ avocado
2 slices toasted bread

Put the carrots and celery in a bowl with the tuna. Add the chopped cilantro.

Add the mayonnaise and the wasabi.

Toss together to combine. Set aside.

Slice half of the avocado into strips, lengthwise.

Arrange all the slices of avocado on one of the bread slices.Spoon the tuna mixture on top of the avocado slices and top with the other piece of toast.

(Slice in small bite sizes to use as fingerfood.)

*Optional. Use horseradish instead.

Tonno all'Etrusca (Etruscan tuna fish)

For ➍
4 tbs extra-virgin olive oil
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
½ red pepper, skinned & seeded, cubed thinly
30 cl canned tomatoes, crushed
4 fresh tomatoes, skinned & seeded, sliced thinly
7 dl fish stock
5 tbs pitted (Italian) black olives, chopped
4 tbs capers, drained
4 tuna steaks, 200 g each
(salt &) freshly ground black pepper

Mix oil, garlic, onion and red pepper and cook for 5 m over medium heat. Add tomatoes, stock, olives and capers and cook on medium heat for 30 m or until thick.
Add the tuna steaks and cover the pan. Cook for 5 to 10 m, depending on thickness. Turn steaks after half the cooking time.
Add (salt &) pepper.
Serve steaks, and spread sauce over them.

Serve with oven-warm Italian bread.

*Serve sauce with  a good pasta, or grilled chicken.

Etruscans have laid the base of Tuscan cuisine (or at the very least giving their name to the region...) This, of course, is based on a modern recipe, tomatoes not being part of the Italian diet before the 16th century.
Read more 'Etruscan' recipes: Schiacciata con l'uva (Etruscan grape-filled bread).

La sallada nissarda (salade niçoise)

For ➏
10 tomatoes, quartered
1 cucumber, sliced
200 g small broad beans, boiled
12 small artichokes, thinly sliced
2 green peppers, thinly sliced
6 small onions or scallions, thinly sliced
6 basil leaves, chopped
1 clove of garlic
3 hard boiled eggs, quartered
12 anchovies
100 g black olives
6 tbs olive oil
pepper & salt

Slice the garlic, rub a large salad bowl with it.

Put tomatoes, beans, artichokes, peppers, onions, anchovies and eggs in the bowl.

Make a dressing with 6 tbs of olive oil and the chopped basil. Add salt and pepper.

Put in the refrigerator for at least 1 h.

Add the cucumber just before serving, otherwise it will make the mixture too moist.

Serve as an entrée with some good bread, or as a side dish for grilled fish (or white meat or chicken).

The 'original' version of the salade niçoise, or at least a recently established agreement between Nice restaurants on historic ingredients and preparation, cutting the potatoes and green beans of the widely popular recipe, as it was written down by Escoffier.
Picture shows a fragment of a Berthe Morisot painting of the late 19th century Nice beach, accommodating tourists.
Read more Provençal recipes: fresh tuna & salade niçoise, salade niçoise dressing, Provençal garlic sauce, Saint-Tropez (Provençal) chicken.

Tonno dalla Puglia (Pugliese tuna)

For ➋
500 g fresh tuna slice
2 tbs olive oil
1 clove of garlic, minced
15 cherry tomatoes, halved
2 leaves of fresh basil
oregano
salt & pepper

Dust the fish with salt and pepper.

Heat the oil in a skillet.

Fry the garlic.

Bake the tuna for 5 to 6 m per side.

Put the tomatoes in the pan for the last 5 m.

Remove from heat. Sprinkle with oregano and basil.

Divide into portions.

Serve with green salad.