Grilled Fennel Dusted Tuna With Tomatoes And Eggplants Recipes

ROSEMARY GRILLED TUNA STEAKS WITH EGGPLANT AND ZUCCHINI

Steps:

• Preheat grill pan to high or preheat grill or charcoal. Coat tuna in balsamic and season with rosemary, salt and pepper. Drizzle fish with oil, coating lightly on both sides, about 2 tablespoons oil, total.
• Preheat a medium nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 2 turns of the pan in a slow stream. Add garlic, onion and saute 2 or 3 minutes. Dice the zucchini and squash while the onion begins to soften. Add the zucchini and squash to the pan and turn to coat and combine with garlic and onion.
• Slice eggplant into strips and dice, then add to the pan. Turn to combine all of the vegetables. Add thyme, salt and pepper to season the mixture. Cook over medium high heat, stirring frequently, 10 minutes, until vegetables are just fork tender.
• Grill tuna 2 to 3 minutes on each side for rare, up to 6 minutes on each side for well done.
• When tuna is done and vegetables are fork tender, stir chopped tomatoes into eggplant and zucchini mixture and remove vegetables from heat.
• Serve wedges of vegetable antipasto, above recipe, along side tuna steaks topped with vegetable salsa. Extra antipasto slices and vegetables should be passed at the table.
• A nice Sicilian rose, chilled, makes a fine beverage companion.
• 1 loaf crusty bread, 9 to 12 inches in length
• 1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes in olive oil, drained, chopped -- 1/2 a small jar
• 1/4 cup black pitted calamata or oil cured olives, your preference, chopped
• 1/2 cup prepared pesto sauce
• 1/4 pound deli sliced provolone
• 1 jar, 16 to 18 roasted red peppers, drained
• 1 (15-ounce) can quartered artichoke hearts in water, drained
• 1 cup giardiniera, pickled vegetables (hot pickled peppers, cauliflower, carrots available on the Italian foods aisle of market or in bulk bins near deli section with bulk olives)
• Coarse salt and black pepper
• Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
• Cut the top off a loaf of crusty bread. Hollow out the inside of the bread.
• Mix parsley, chopped sun-dried tomatoes, chopped olives and store bought or homemade pesto sauce. Spread the mixture evenly across the bottom of the hollowed out bread. Layer the cheese into the loaf. Layer the roasted red peppers on top of the cheese. Coarsely chop the drained artichoke hearts and add them in a layer over the red peppers. Sprinkle in the chopped hot pickled vegetables and drizzle some extra-virgin olive oil on top. Replace the top, cut the stuffed loaf into pieces and serve.
• Yield: 4 servings
• Prep Time: 10 to 15 minutes
• Cook Time: none
• Ease of Preparation: easy

GRILLED FENNEL

Steps:

• Preheat an outdoor grill for high heat and lightly oil the grate.
• Slice a very thin layer from the bottom of each fennel bulb using a vegetable peeler or paring knife, leaving the core in place to help hold bulb intact. Remove fennel stalks, reserving fronds. Slice bulbs vertically into 1/4-inch slices. Brush slices with 1 tablespoon olive oil and sprinkle with ground black pepper and salt on each side.
• Grill fennel slices until charred, about 5 minutes per side; transfer to serving platter.
• Whisk remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, basil, parsley, lemon juice, lemon zest, freshly ground black pepper, thyme, and reserved fennel fronds together in a bowl. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese and drizzle lemon mixture over fennel.

GRILLED TUNA, TOMATO AND ONION TOPPING

Steps:

• In a shallow dish combine the lemon juice, olive oil, 1 teaspoon of salt and pepper. Add the tuna and coat well. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Remove the tuna from the marinade and grill over white coals with the tomato and onion slices. Grill the tuna until browned on the outside but still pink in the center, about 5 minutes per side. Grill the tomato and onion slices until lightly charred, about 5 minutes per side.
• Cut the tuna in half lengthwise and then across into thin slices. Quarter the tomato slices and cut the onion slices into large dice.
• When ready to assemble, divide the tomatoes and onions among the pizzas. Top with the tuna slices and season with the remaining salt and pepper. Sprinkle with parsley and serve. Use on rosemary-olive crust.

GRILLED TUNA RUBBED WITH FRESH MINT WITH ORANGE AND FENNEL RELISH

Steps:

• Mix together the oranges, fennel, scallion, currants, vinegar and honey in a medium bowl. Season with salt and pepper and let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes. Preheat grill. Rub each tuna steak on both sides with the mint leaves and brush with the olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and grill for 2 minutes on each side for rare or longer for desired doneness.

EGGPLANT, TOMATO AND FENNEL

Steps:

• Arrange eggplants spoke-fashion, stems toward the center, around the inside rim of a 2-quart souffle dish. Place tomatoes in center. Scatter fennel on top of eggplant. Tuck garlic, basil, and thyme between vegetables. Pour oil, water, salt, and pepper over all. Cover tightly with microwave plastic wrap. Cook in microwave oven at 100 percent for 15 minutes.
• Remove from oven. Uncover and let stand for 3 minutes before serving.

GRILLED EGGPLANT WITH TOMATOES, BASIL, AND FETA

Steps:

• Generously season eggplant slices with salt. Place vertically in a colander, overlapping them. Let stand 30 minutes; rinse and pat dry.
• Preheat grill to medium-high. Liberally brush cut sides of eggplant with oil. Grill, turning once, until tender, about 4 minutes a side. Mix tomatoes, pine nuts, feta, red-pepper flakes, and oil; season with salt. Spoon over eggplant; top with basil.

SEARED TUNA, ROASTED TOMATOES & FENNEL WITH A OLIVE SAUCE

Steps:

• Sauce -- Start to prepare the sauce. In a large NOT non stick pan which you will be cooking the tuna in add the fennel seeds over medium and just toast a few minutes to get lightly toasted. No oil, just a dry pan and will only take a minute. Remove when toasted and just set to the side.
• Now if you don't have fennel seeds, don't panic. The dish will taste just fine. I just like that additional layer of flavor but don't worry and don't make a extra trip to the store just for them. They do however make a great additional to your spice cabinet.
• Tuna -- Remove tuna from the fridge to take some of the chill off. I like to cook mine more and room temperature. Prepare all your vegetables. For the fennel, remove the green parts and slice like a onion.
• Vegetables -- Roast your tomatoes and fennel in a 400 degree oven. On a cookie sheet covered with foil or parchment paper, lightly drizzle your tomatoes and fennel with olive oil, salt and pepper and roast 10 minutes, just until slightly brown and the tomatoes start to soften. Don't over cook you still want them fresh tasting.
• Tuna round II -- As the tomatoes and fennel cook, start your tuna. Season well with salt and pepper and in that same pan you toasted the fennel seeds heat on medium high heat and add 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Sear the tuna until it gets a nice crust on one side without moving. Should take 3-5 minutes depending on the thickness. Thinner cuts will take much less and you do not want to over cook it. Flip over and the second size will take even less time. You want it rare - medium rare, so I usually remove when rare. Set to the side and cover with foil as you make the sauce.
• Olive sauce -- in the pan that you cooked the tuna in, add the garlic and shallot and cook just a minute also on medium to medium high heat. You can add a little extra olive oil if necessary, but you shouldn't need any. Then add the white wine and red pepper flakes. Let cook another minute to reduce slightly. Then add the olives, lemon juice, zest, any additional salt and pepper if needed, but olives are salty so be careful. The last thing, stir in the fennel seeds and then just let simmer on medium for another minute just to slightly reduce. Remember, this is a thin sauce, not a gravy.
• Plate it up! If using a salad like I mentioned in the description, I would plate the salad, then top with the tuna. Top with a slice or two of the tomatoes and a few fennel slices. Then drizzle the olive sauce over the whole thing. ENJOY!

PENNE WITH GRILLED TOMATOES AND EGGPLANT

Steps:

• Prepare barbecue (medium heat). Spray both sides of eggplant slices and tomato halves with olive oil spray. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill eggplant slices until brown and tender and tomato halves until charred, turning occasionally, about 10 minutes for eggplant slices and about 7 minutes for tomato halves. Cool.
• Cut eggplant into 1/2-inch-wide strips. Cut tomatoes into 1-inch pieces.
• Meanwhile, cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to bite. Drain pasta. Return pasta to same pot.
• Add eggplant, tomatoes, parsley, olive oil and garlic to pasta and toss to blend. Stir in grated cheese. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve warm or at room temperature. (Can be prepared 2 hours ahead.)

GRILLED TUNA AND FENNEL WITH LEMON-MINT VINAIGRETTE

Steps:

• Preheat a charcoal grill or a broiler. In a small bowl, whisk together the oil, lemon juice, soy sauce and salt. Set aside.
• Place the fennel in a large microwave-safe bowl, cover with plastic wrap and microwave on high until the fennel just begins to become tender, about 6 to 7 minutes. Drain the fennel and brush it lightly with the oil-and-lemon mixture. Grill or broil until lightly browned and very tender, about 8 to 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, brush the tuna with some of the oil-and-lemon mixture and grill or broil until seared but red in the center, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a platter and surround with the fennel. Combine the herbs with the remaining oil-and-lemon mixture and pour it over the tuna. Serve immediately.