SPICED TUNA SALAD WITH CURRY-PEANUT DRESSING

By Eric Ripert

4 Servings

Tuna:

• Two 1 inch-thick tuna steaks (about 6 ounces each)
• 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper, freshly ground
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
• 2 teaspoons corn oil

Vinaigrette:

• 1 teaspoon soy sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon red curry paste
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
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• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 2 pinches white pepper, freshly ground
• 3 tablespoons sherry vinegar
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 tablespoons corn oil

Greens:

• 4 cups salad greens
• 1/2 cup bean sprouts
• 2 teaspoons mint leaves, chopped
• 2 teaspoons fresh coriander, coarsely chopped
• 8 unsalted peanuts, coarsely chopped

1. For the tuna: Sprinkle each steak with 1/4 teaspoon each of the salt and pepper and 3/4 teaspoon of the thyme and rub the seasonings into the tuna. Turn the steaks over and repeat on the other side.
   
   
2. Put 1 teaspoon of the oil in each of two 10-inch nonstick skillets and place over high heat until just smoking. Add 1 tuna steak to each skillet and sear until browned on the outside and rare in the center, about 1 minute per side. Let cool. (This can be done up to 8 hours in advance).
   
   
3. For the vinaigrette, combine all of the ingredients in a bowl, except for the oils. Whisking constantly, very slowly drizzle in the olive oil and then the corn oil. Store, tightly covered, in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
   
   
4. Using a very sharp, thin-bladed knife, slice the tuna crosswise 1/8-inch thick. (The recipe can be made to this point up to 3 hours ahead; cover the tuna with parchment paper and refrigerate.)
   
   
5. To serve, toss the salad greens, bean sprouts, mint, coriander and peanuts with half of the vinaigrette. Make a tall mound of salad in the center of 4 dinner plates. Drape the tuna slices over the salads in a circle, with one end of each slice meeting at the highest point of the salad. Drizzle the remaining vinaigrette around (but not touching) the tuna and serve.
   
   

• 1/4 cup Japanese rice vinegar
• 1/2 tablespoon sugar
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 English cucumber, peeled and quartered, then remove seeds and cut into 1/4 inch thick slices (use a Japanese cucumber if possible, they're crisper)
• 2 1/2 tablespoons pickled mango, pulp only (available in East Indian grocery stores)
• 12 coriander leaves, finely sliced
• 2 tablespoons micro watercress (or other micro greens)
• Salt and pepper, freshly ground

Hamachi:

• Olive oil
• Juice of 1 lemon
• Sweet Tandoori powder(available in East Indian grocery stores)
• Salt and pepper, freshly ground
• Two 4-ounce hamachi fillets (yellowtail tuna)
• 8 garlic cloves, pureed
• 1 tablespoon herbes de Provence, or dried oregano

1. Make the salad: In a small sauté pan, heat the vinegar and sugar until the sugar dissolves. Add the olive oil. Add the cucumber and warm lightly. Remove from heat and add the pickled mango pulp and a pinch of salt. Let cool, then add the coriander. Let the salad marinate for 30 to 45 minutes; there should be a nice balance of sweet and sour. When the flavor is set, drain the liquid and discard.
   
   
2. Cook the fish: In a bowl, combine the olive oil, lemon juice, pinch of tandoori powder and salt and pepper. Season each fillet with salt and pepper. Rub the top of each fillet with a bit of the garlic and dust on both sides with I teaspoon of herbes de Provence and tandoori powder. Drag the fillets through the mixture in the bowl. Reserve the liquid remaining in the bowl. This will be your sauce.
   
   
3. Place a skillet over medium heat. Sear the hamachi fillets gently, approximately 2 minutes on each side. Make sure there is a little color on each side, without burning the fish.
   
   
4. To serve place the salad in a 1 -inch ring mold on the right-hand side each of four 8-inch rectangular plates. Remove the mold and top the salad with a small bunch of the micro greens. Slice the hamachi 1/8-inch thick lengthwise. You should get 10 slices from each fillet. Arrange five slices per plate below the salad. Spoon about 1 tablespoon of sauce over and around the fish and serve the remainder of the sauce on the side.