Tom Colicchios Sicilian Tuna Salad Recipes

ITALIAN TUNA SALAD

Steps:

• Whisk together the lemon juice, capers and Dijon mustard in a large bowl. While continuing to whisk, drizzle in the olive oil in a steady stream. Whisk in 1/4 teaspoon salt. Add the beans to the dressing and mash gently with a spoon. Add the tuna, flaking it with a fork into bite-size pieces. Toss lightly to coat. Top the tuna mixture with the arugula, treviso, endive, shaved fennel, parsley leaves and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Using your hands, toss the salad together, bringing the dressing up from the bottom of the bowl until everything is coated evenly.

SICILIAN RICE SALAD WITH SEARED TUNA

Steps:

• Place rice and 2 1/4 cups water in a medium saucepan, and bring the liquid to a boil over medium-high heat. Cover, reduce to a simmer, and cook until rice is tender and all of the liquid has been absorbed, about 10 minutes. Remove the pan from heat. Using a fork, separate the grains of rice, and transfer rice to a large bowl. Grate 1 tablespoon zest from the lemons, and add the zest to rice. Set the rice aside.
• Squeeze the lemons, yielding 1/3 cup strained juice. Place 12 tomato halves, 1 tablespoon chopped parsley, lemon juice, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper in a blender; blend until liquefied. With blender running, add olive oil in a slow, steady stream to the tomato dressing.
• Add yellow bell pepper, onion, fennel, the remaining tomato halves, capers, the remaining 5 tablespoons parsley, marjoram, and tomato dressing to rice; toss to combine.
• Coat a saute pan with cooking spray, and set over medium-high heat. Cut the tuna steaks into 1-inch-wide strips, and season with the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Place the tuna strips in hot pan, and sear on all sides until browned and medium rare, about 1 minute per side. Remove the pan from heat, and cut each strip into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Divide the rice salad and the tuna slices among six bowls, and serve immediately.

SWEET AND SOUR SICILIAN TUNA

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in a heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat. Stir in the onion; cook and stir until the onion has softened and turned translucent, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low, and continue to cook and stir until the onion is very tender and dark brown, 15 to 20 minutes more. Remove the onion from the skillet.
• Place the tuna steaks in the same skillet over medium-high heat and cook until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side. Remove the tuna steaks to a serving tray; keep warm.
• Stir the vinegar and sugar together in the same skillet until sugar is dissolved. Return the onions to the pan, and simmer until the liquid reduces and is slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Return the tuna to the pan and cook for 3 to 5 minutes. Place the tuna on the warm serving tray and top with the onion and sweet and sour mixture.

TUNA SALAD "SICILIAN STYLE"

Steps:

• Mix all ingridients in a bowl and chill at least 2 hours!

SICILIAN TUNA

Steps:

• Marinate tuna:
• Combine oil, lemon juice, anchovies, garlic, oregano, and tuna in a large sealable bag and seal bag, pressing out excess air. Let stand at room temperature, turning occasionally, 30 minutes.
• Grill tuna:
• Remove tuna from marinade and shake off any excess. Lightly oil grill pan and heat over medium-high heat until smoking. Grill tuna, turning once, until pale pink in center, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer to a platter and cover with foil to keep warm.
• Meanwhile, make sauce:
• Heat oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Add diced celery and cook, stirring, until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, olives, and capers and cook until sauce is slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.
• Stir in basil, lemon juice, and 1/4 teaspoon each of salt and pepper and remove from heat. Spoon sauce over tuna and sprinkle with celery leaves.

TOM COLICCHIO'S CRAB-MEAT-AND-CELERY-ROOT NAPOLEON

Steps:

• In a bowl, combine the curry powder and mustard. Beat in the vinegar, then slowly add the grape-seed oil to make a well-emulsified dressing. Set aside.
• Peel the celery root. Cut into 3 sections horizontally, making the middle section about 2 inches thick. Slice the middle section into 12 thin, large disks, wrap them in plastic wrap and reserve. Cut the other 2 sections, along with any of the celery root remaining from the middle section, into small dice.
• Bring a pot of water to a boil, add the diced celery root and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until just tender. Drain and refresh under cold water. Drain well and set aside.
• Pick over the crab meat to remove any stray bits of cartilage. In a bowl, mix the crab meat with the cooked, diced celery root and the tomatoes. Reserve 6 of the chives, finely chop the rest and mix them in. Beat the dressing and fold half of it into the crab-meat salad. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
• Heat the peanut oil in a wok or a skillet until very hot. Dry the reserved celery root disks on paper towels if necessary and fry the slices, turning them once, until golden brown, about 2 to 3 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels.
• To assemble, place a round of celery root on each of 6 plates, top each with a portion of the crab-meat salad, then with another round of celery root. Mix the remaining dressing again and pour it around each of the napoleons. Cut the reserved chives in half and place two pieces across the top of each celery-root disk.