Penne With Grilled Tuna And Crisp Fried Capers Recipes

PENNE WITH GRILLED TUNA AND CRISP- FRIED CAPERS

Steps:

• In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the capers and butter and bring to a simmer; the pan should be big enough so the capers can move around and fry freely, which will take 10-12 minutes (they should be golden brown and crispy when they are finished).
• Drain off remaining butter and put the capers on a paper towel to drain.
• While the capers are cooking, thread the tuna chunks on skewers, brush with the vegetable oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.
• Place the skewers on the grill over a medium-hot fire and cook for 3-4 minutes per side (to check for doneness cut into one of the chunks--it should be pink but not red in the center).
• Remove from grill and let cool until they are cool enough to slide off the skewers.
• In the meantime, bring 4 quarts of salted water to boil in a large pot over high heat; add the pasta, return to boil and cook for 8-10 minutes, until pasta is tender but not mushy.
• Drain and place in a large bowl.
• Add the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, parsley, grilled tuna and salt and pepper to taste; add capers, toss well, and serve.

PENNE WITH TUNA AND WILTED ROMAINE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F with a rack set on the middle shelf.
• Drain the tuna, reserving the oil, about 1/3 cup. If you do not have 1/3 cup oil from the tuna, add enough extra-virgin olive oil to yield 1/3 cup.
• Use your hands to tear the bread slices into large pieces and put in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until only fine crumbs remain, about 2 cups. Place the breadcrumbs on a baking sheet and toss with the reserved tuna oil. Season liberally with salt. Bake until light golden brown and crispy, 10 to 12 minutes, gently tossing the crumbs occasionally. Cool slightly on a cooling rack, and then use your hands to break up any large chunks.
• Meanwhile, bring a large stockpot of salted water to a boil (it should taste like sea water).
• While the water is coming to a boil, make the pasta sauce. Heat the olive oil in a large, straight-sided skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and a large pinch of crushed red pepper flakes. Cook until the garlic softens and starts to lightly brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the grape tomatoes, capers and white wine. Increase the heat to medium-high and cook until the tomatoes start to soften and the wine is reduced by half, 4 to 6 minutes. Add the romaine and drained tuna. Season liberally with salt and cook until the romaine is completely wilted and the tuna is heated through, 3 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Turn off the heat.
• Cook the pasta in the salted boiling water until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water, and then drain the pasta.
• Toss the pasta with the tuna sauce in a large mixing bowl. Use as little or as much of the reserved pasta water to loosen the sauce to your taste. Season with additional salt and crushed red pepper flakes if needed.
• To serve, divide the pasta among 4 to 6 plates, top with the toasted breadcrumbs and drizzle with additional olive oil.

TUNA, LEMON, AND CAPER SAUCE

Steps:

• Place tuna in pasta serving bowl and break it into large bite-size pieces. Add garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, olive oil, salt, pepper, and capers and stir gently to combine. Set aside to warm to room temperature, or preferably, place the bowl (be sure it's heatproof) over the pasta pot to warm the ingredients while heating the water. Once the water comes to a boil, remove bowl and set aside.
• Cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until al dente. Drain pasta well and immediately add to sauce in bowl. Sprinkle with parsley and toss. Serve at once with Parmesan cheese. Pass the pepper mill.
• Recommended pasta: 8 ounces penne rigate, medium shells (conchiglie rigate), rigatoni, or linguine.

LINGUINE WITH GRILLED TUNA, CAPERS AND PARSLEY

Steps:

• Light a grill and preheat for at least 10 minutes or preheat a grill pan. Arrange the grill so half cooks over high heat and the other half can cook over moderately low heat. Meanwhile, soak 1 small bamboo skewer for 10 minutes.
• Thread the garlic cloves onto skewer. Brush both sides of the leek and the tuna with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Rub the tuna with the rosemary.
• Oil the grill grates, then grill the leek cut side down and the tuna over high heat until grill marks form, 2 to 3 minutes. Flip the tuna and leek and move to the cooler part of the grill. Cook until the tuna is just slightly pink within and the leek is tender, about 8 minutes for the tuna and 15 minutes for the leek. Transfer to a work surface and let cool slightly.
• Grill the garlic on the skewer over high heat, turning a few times, until blistered and slightly softened, about 2 minutes.
• Remove the outer layer of the leek and discard; thinly slice the leek crosswise, discarding any pieces that are tough, and transfer to a large bowl. Peel the garlic and finely chop. Flake the tuna and add the garlic and tuna to the leek.
• Meanwhile, cook the linguine until al dente; drain, reserving 1/2 cup of the cooking water. Add the hot pasta, parsley, capers, lemon juice and the 1/4 cup of olive oil to the bowl and toss. Add the cooking water, little by little, if necessary, to loosen the sauce. Season with salt, pepper and crushed red pepper, then serve immediately.