Tuna A La Marseillaise

This recipe came from a super cook book, “Mediterranean light” by Martha Rose Shulman.  I had originally planned tuna casserole for tonight but dropped the above mentioned cookbook on my foot while rushing around for work this morning and it fell open to page 285, “Tuna A La Marseillaise”.  It had to be a sign. So I went downstairs and told Ted…”We’re not having tuna casserole tonight, we are having Tuna A La Marseillaise”.  His response was identical to when I told him we were having tuna casserole …”Sounds good“.  Sometimes his enthusiasm kills me.

Tuna A La Marseillaise, Serves 2- 3 (Recipe cut in 1/2)

The Sauce

• 1/2  TBS olive oil
• 1/4 large onion, finely chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
• 1/4 cup capers, rinsed and chopped or mashed
• 1 1/4 lbs (5 to 6) tomatoes, chopped
• ground pepper to taste
• The fish:  you need 2 tuna steaks, about 4 to 6 oz. *Squeeze a lemon over the top and let sit for 15 minutes. Salt and pepper before grilling.

Sauce Preparation:

Heat the oil in a large skillet and add the onion. Saute for 3 -4 minutes, add garlic and capers. Saute for an additional 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes and let cook over medium – low heat for 25 minutes. Stir occasionally. *I added a couple of fresh basil leaves, shredded to the sauce.

Cooking the fish:  Either grill or saute.  We grilled. Brush the fish with olive oil and cook on a medium high grill for about 4 minutes per every 1/2 inch of thickness.  Turn halfway thru grilling. * Ted grilled our tuna as follows: For him = 5 min / side. For me = 6 min / side.  The tuna steaks we had were very large. In fact, we have enough left over for another dinner.

Serve the fish topped with the prepared sauce. The sauce is a must with this recipe. The capers and tomatoes compliment each other beautifully in this dish.  Nutrition approximations: Calories = 288. Fat = 12 g. Carbs = 10 g. Protein = 35 g  

We will be preparing for visitors who are due to arrive about 1 AM Friday morning (that’s in about 5 hours). Yes, I said …1 AM!  Shane will have a minor fit. But it will be Ted who gets up as Mary Jane, Ted’s sister, is flying in from Las Vegas with her daughter, Angelina for a short stay.  The occasion? Richard’s retirement party is this weekend.  Make sure to check in on Saturday (I hope) as I post the special occasion retirement cake.  I’m experimenting on the family so fingers crossed that all goes well.  Here’s a hint: Richard loves chocolate!

For more on grilled tuna,

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CEimB: White Gazpacho with Grapes and Toasted Almonds

This weeks recipe was chosen by Lauren of I’ll Eat You.  It is on page 83 of Ellie Krieger’s “The Food You Crave”.

 

This was a great pick especially since neither Ted nor I have ever been inclined to order or make Gazpacho.  We were excited to try it.  But first,…a little research…

Spanish in origin, white gazpacho is knows as “ajo blanco” or white garlic soup.  There is also a red gazpacho which would include tomatoes.  However, it is believed that due to the lack of availability of the tomato way back before Columbus sailed the ocean blue, the white gazpacho is most likely the original recipe.  The key points for gazpacho: it is eaten cold and it contains bread and vinegar.  From “The Cook’s Canon“, it quotes the first testimonial for gazpacho coming from Sancho Panza (paunch), from the novel Don Quixote, annoyed because food is being snatched from under his nose by one Dr. Recio (harsh) (page 86 of The Cook’s Canon)..”Make way, My Lords,” …”I would rather stuff myself with gazpachos than be subject to the misery of an impertinent physician who kills me with hunger“.

On with the “Ajo Blanco con Uvas y Almendras“…White Garlic Soup with Grapes and (Toasted) Almonds (My changes are in GREEN next to the ingredient that was adjusted)

• 1/4 cup + 4 tsp slivered almonds – *Instead of toasting in a skillet, I toasted for about 2 minutes under a broiler.
• 2 English Cucumbers -peeled, seeded and rough chopped (leave 1 cup aside for garnish)
• 3 slices white bread – crusts removed. Soak in 1/2 cup water until soft (2 min). *The only white bread I had were some dinner rolls from the freezer.  I used the inside of the rolls.
• 3 cloves garlic-peeled
• 6 scallions – whites only and thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup sherry vinegar or white wine vinegar *None of either. I used 1/4 cup rice vinegar +3 TBS white wine.
• 1 tsp fresh lemon juice * It needed more. I used about 1 TBS of lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp salt * Added a pinch more salt
• 3 TBS olive oil
• 1/2 cup green grapes,cut in half

Put the soaked bread, the rest of the cucumber, garlic, 1/4 cup of the scallions, vinegar, lemon, 1/4 cup of the almonds, salt and oil in food processor and mix until the cukes are completely blended and the liquid and almonds are completely invisible – about 2 or 3 minutes.  Season with more salt and vinegar if you want.

Pour 1 cup of gazpacho in a bowl per person. Put 1/4 cup of chopped cukes on top, 1 TBS remaining scallions on top of cukes, and 2 TBS of the grapes + 1 tsp almonds on top of the cukes and scallions. Enjoy.  AND… I mean you will REALLY ENJOY. This recipe was 100% refreshing, so tasty, flavorful but not over bearing…the only draw back was… it seems to have made us burp.

With the gazpacho, we had BQ Grouper Skewers (click to see the post). 

To Lauren of the blog, I’ll Eat You…fantastic choice.  Ted and I so enjoyed this recipe:  the taste, the texture…the burps… all good!

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