Grilled Tuna with White Bean Puree, Olive Tapenade and Roasted Cherry Tomatoes

By karen1

Ingredients

• Black Olive Tapenade:
• 1 pint vine cherry tomatoes
• 1/2 cup Orange Chili Oil, recipe follows
• 2 cups pitted Kalamata olives
• 1 big garlic clove
• Small handful fresh tarragon leaves
• Pinch crushed red pepper flakes
• Small handful fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1 tablespoon red or white wine vinegar
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• White Bean Puree:
• Extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic
• 2 anchovy fillets
• 2 (14-ounce) can white cannellini beans, drained
• 1/2 to 3/4 cup chicken stock, heated
• 2 teaspoons white wine vinegar
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 (6 to 8-ounce) sushi-quality tuna steaks, such as ahi, about 1-inch thick
• Extra-virgin olive oil
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 cups fresh Israeli arugula leaves, for garnish
• Orange Chili Oil:
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves chopped
• 2 sprigs fresh rosemary, leaves chopped
• 1 1/2 tablespoons dried red chili flakes
• 5 strips orange peel
• 1 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Lay out cherry vine tomatoes in a single layer on a roasting tray. Drizzle with orange chili oil and roast in the oven for 8 to10 minutes until tomatoes are slightly burst and have given off their juices. Set aside.

For the olive tapenade:
Add tapenade ingredients to a food processor and process to a coarse puree. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper and set aside.

For the white bean puree:
In a saucepan add a 2 count of extra-virgin olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and anchovies and sweat for 1 minute until fragrant. Add the beans followed by the warm chicken stock and cook until heated through. Transfer the mixture to a food processor or blender and puree with a splash of white vinegar, salt and some freshly ground black pepper. Thin with extra stock if the puree is too thick. Give it a final taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary. Set aside and keep warm until ready to serve.

Now prepare the tuna. Heat a large cast iron griddle pan over high heat. Drizzle the tuna with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place on the hot grill for about 45 seconds and then turn over and do the same. The tuna should be rare on the inside and have nice grill marks on the outside.

To serve, smear a spoonful of the white bean puree on the bottom of a plate. Top with a the tuna and a spoonful of tapenade over the top. Set a cluster of the roasted tomatoes over the top and drizzle the juices from the pan all around the plate. Garnish with fresh arugula leaves.
Make the chili oil by adding the thyme, rosemary, chili flakes and orange peel to the oil. Put aside and let it sit for at least 1 hour to let the flavors infuse.

Yield: 1 1/2 cups