We loved this use of the French spice, Piment d’ Espelette, for a fast and delicious dinner. If you have the Piment d’Espelette Mayonnaise Sauce made up in your refrigerator and the veggies already cut, dinner will be on the table in a matter of minutes. This ahi tuna dish went well with our favorite coleslaw.
Spicy Grilled Ahi Tuna with Vegetables on Ciabatta Bread recipe, comments, and photos were shared with my by Karen Calanchini, Food Stylist and Photographer, of Redding, CA.
How To Select, Buy, and Cook Fish.
- 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, extra-virgin
- 1 large red bell pepper, sliced thin
- 1 large orange bell pepper, sliced thin
- 1 small onion, sliced thin
- 4 to 6 garlic cloves, sliced thin
- 1 1/2 teaspoons thyme, fresh
- 1/2 cup chicken stock (homemade or a good store-bought)*
- Coarse salt or sea salt to taste
- Piment d’Espelette chile powder**
- 1 Ahi Tuna steak, sushi grade (about 7 to 8 ounces)
- Couple of handfuls of baby spinach or arugula
- 1 tablespoon aged sherry vinegar
- Slices of Ciabatta bread, cut to your desired thickness
- 2 tablespoons flat-leaf parsley, rough chop
- 1 1/2 tablespoons shallot, finely-chopped
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice, fresh-squeezed
- 2 teaspoons Sherry wine vinegar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons lime zest
- 1 cup mayonnaise (good-quality)
- 1 teaspoon Piment d'Espelette chile pepper powder
- Coarse salt or sea salt
- Black pepper, freshly-ground
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Prepare the Piment d'Espelette Mayonnaise Sauce. Refrigerate until ready to use.
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Heat the olive oil in a non-stick skillet. Add the peppers, onion, and thyme. Cook over medium heat until crisp-tender. Add garlic and cook until fragrant. Add the chicken stock, and cook until the stock has almost evaporated and the vegetables are very soft; set aside and let cool. If desired, you can cover and refrigerate at this point and continue with the rest of the recipe just prior to grilling the tuna.
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When ready to grill the tuna, gently reheat the vegetables, add baby spinach, sherry vinegar, season with salt, and Piment d’Espelette chile powder to taste, and continue to gently heat until warmed through; set aside.
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Preheat barbecue grill. Rub the tuna steak with olive oil and use 1/2 teaspoon of the Piment d’Espelette chile powder for both side of the tuna.
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Place the prepared tuna steak over direct heat, and cook only until grill marks form. As soon as you see grill marks on the tuna, turn the tuna filet over and move the tuna to indirect heat. Do not overcook the tuna or the meat will become dry and lose its flavor. It will have a white ring around the edges, but the center will be very pink when done. Remove tuna steak from grill and slice. Place the tuna on a cutting board and slice. If using a cooking thermometer, the internal temperature should be between 115 to 120 degrees F.
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Drizzle olive oil on one side of each slice of the Ciabatta bread. Place the sliced bread on the grill, along with the tuna steak, until the bread has nice grill marks and is warmed.
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Place the warmed vegetables on top of the sliced grilled bread and then add the sliced tuna. Drizzle the Piment d’ Espelette Mayonnaise Sauce over the top of the grilled tuna. You may prefer to put this on the bread before adding the vegetables. Sprinkle the parsley over the top.
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In a medium-size bowl, combine shallot, lemon juice, vinegar, and lime zest. Cover and let stand 30 minutes.
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Whisk in the mayonnaise and Piment d’Espelette chile pepper. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours. Can be made 1 day ahead. Store in the refrigerator.
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Yields 1 cup.
* Check out Chicken Stock - Basic Chicken Stock to learn how easy it is to make your own homemade chicken stock.
** Piment d’ Espelette is a red chili powder from the Basque region of France and Spain and named after the village of Espelette in France’s Nive Valley. Piment d’Espelette can be found in powdered or paste form.
Piment d’Espelette Mayonnaise Sauce Recipe:
1 1/2 tablespoons finely-chopped shallot
2 teaspoons fresh-squeezed lemon juice
2 teaspoons aged Sherry wine vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons lime zest
1 cup of a good-quality mayonnaise
1 teaspoon Piment d’Espelette chile pepper powder
Coarse sea salt
Freshly-ground black pepper
In a medium-size bowl, combine shallot, lemon juice, vinegar, and lime zest. Cover and let stand 30 minutes.
Whisk in the mayonnaise and Piment d’Espelette chile pepper. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours. Can be made 1 day ahead. Store in the refrigerator.
Yields 1 cup.