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Peppered Tuna Salad with Grilled Asparagus and Quail Egg

Recipe serves: 4

A Little Background

I love this salad for summer time, warm weather, picnic's and when friends come over for a swim by the pool. It is very simple, quickly done, and refreshing. It is a meal in itself, perfect for busy people wanting to do something quick and light and for those of us who want to watch the calorie intake. I'll do several variations of it, with Cajun-fried shrimps, grilled salmon, stir-fried squid or a combination of it; whatever I have handy or feel like eating. Medium roasted warm sirloin of beef is also a nice option, although a Balsamic or a red wine vinegar dressing would then suit better than the lemon-olive oil emulsion required in this recipe.

What you'll need

240 g (8.5 oz) tuna loin cleaned, sashimi cut
1 teaspoon black pepper corns, cracked
50 g ( 1 2/3 oz) cherry tomatoes,
90 g ( 3 oz) new or marble potatoes
5 g (1/6 oz) garlic, chopped
10 g (1/3 oz) red onions chopped
8 pc quail egg
20 ml (2/3 oz) lemon juice
80 ml (2 1/3 oz) extra virgin olive oil
5 g (1/6 oz) flat (Italian) parsley
5 g (1/6 oz) Dijon mustard
60 g (2 oz) asparagus tips
10 g (1/3 oz) capers
50 g (1 2/3 oz) assorted lettuces such as Mizuna, Romaine, Mache, Lollo Rossa, Rocket and others
8 PC Kalamata olives
1 good pinch Sugar
2 pinch sea salt form the mill
White pepper from the mill

Chefspencil.com - Peppered Tuna Salad with Grilled Asparagus and Quail Egg

What to do
Dressing

In a bowl combine the lemon juice with the Dijon mustard, garlic, red onions, salt and sugar. Whisk well until the sugar and the salt have desolved.
Under constant whisking, add the extra virgin olive oil in a slow stream and incorporate to a smooth dressing. Add the chopped flat (Italian) parsley and adjust seasoning with sal and pepper if necessary.

Preparations

Season the tuna loins with sea salt from the mill and sprinkle with the cracked pepper, then sear in a very hot skillet quickly, so all side are well browned while the core stays very raw. Cool in the fridge well, then slice into the desired serving strips.
Poach the quail eggs in boiling, lightly vinegared water for just a second, so that the eggs stay soft at the center, remove and cool down in ice water immediately.
Dry the capers and deep-fry until crisp. Drain on a kitchen paper.
Marinate the asparagus tips with olive oil and garlic, season and then grill them until soft and tender.
Boil the marble potatoes in salt water until soft, drain and let them cool on a tray. Cut them in half and pan-fry in little olive oil, season well and serve warm on the already prepared salad.

Assembly

Place the salad leaves in a deep-dish plate or glass bowl and drizzle with little dressing.
Arrange the sliced tuna, cherry tomatoes, Kalamata olives, grilled asparagus and poached quail eggs as well lastly adding the warm marble potatoes.
Sprinkle with additional dressing the crisp-fried capers and pepper and sea salt from the mill.

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Recipe By Thomas Wenger
Styling By Thomas Wenger
Photography By Thomas Wenger
© Chef's Pencil 2007