Grilled Tuna with Field Pea Salad and Tangy Buttermilk Sauce

By LRay

The Locale Palate, June/July 2013, page 86.

Ingredients

• For Field Pea Salad:
• 2 tablespoons malt vinegar
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• Kosher salt, pepper, and Tabasco as needed
• 4 cups cooked black-eyed peas, pink eyes, white acre peas, butterbeans, May peas, or any combination
• 1/2 cup Vidalia onion, peeled and diced small
• 1/2 cup cucumber, peeled, seeded, and diced small
• 1/2 cup yellow squash, diced small
• 1 cup vine-ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and diced small
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup parsley, chopped
• For Tangy Buttermilk Sauce:
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise, preferably Duke’s
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 tablespoon anchovies, minced
• 1 tablespoon chives, minced
• 1 tablespoon fresh tarragon, chopped
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice, fresh
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
• 1 teaspoon capers, nonpareil, crushed
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, preferably Georgia olive oil (georgiaolivefarms.com)
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground white pepper
• For Grilled Tuna:
• 5 tuna steaks, 5 ounces each
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Salt and pepper

Details

Servings 1
Adapted from localpalatemag.com

Preparation

Step 1

Directions

For Field Pea Salad:

1. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together vinegar, Dijon, and olive oil. Season with salt, black pepper, and Tabasco to taste.

2. Mix together with vegetables, garlic, and parsley. Stir completely.

For Tangy Buttermilk Sauce:

1. Whisk together all the ingredients and taste for adjustments.

For Grilled Tuna:

1. Prepare gas or charcoal grill (Note: Grilled flavor is greatly enhanced by the use of hardwood charcoal). Brush tuna steaks with a generous amount of olive oil and season on both sides with salt and pepper or your favorite grilling seasonings.

2. Brush grill grates with oil and grill tuna steaks approximately 4 minutes per side until tuna is to a suggested medium rare or to your liking.

3. Serve immediately or put tuna in a 200-degree oven until ready to serve. Stir pea salad and place in the center of each plate. Top with tuna steak and pass the buttermilk sauce.

Directions

For Field Pea Salad:

1. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together vinegar, Dijon, and olive oil. Season with salt, black pepper, and Tabasco to taste.

2. Mix together with vegetables, garlic, and parsley. Stir completely.

For Tangy Buttermilk Sauce:

1. Whisk together all the ingredients and taste for adjustments.

For Grilled Tuna:

1. Prepare gas or charcoal grill (Note: Grilled flavor is greatly enhanced by the use of hardwood charcoal). Brush tuna steaks with a generous amount of olive oil and season on both sides with salt and pepper or your favorite grilling seasonings.

2. Brush grill grates with oil and grill tuna steaks approximately 4 minutes per side until tuna is to a suggested medium rare or to your liking.

3. Serve immediately or put tuna in a 200-degree oven until ready to serve. Stir pea salad and place in the center of each plate. Top with tuna steak and pass the buttermilk sauce.