Oil-Poached Tuna Salad
A sophisticated Mediterranean-style salad featuring tender oil-poached tuna, mixed beans, and fresh vegetables in a flavorful anchovy-herb vinaigrette. This elegant dish combines flageolet beans, green beans, cherry tomatoes, and Kalamata olives for a protein-rich and colorful meal.
Ingredients
- •1 cup dried flageolet or navy beans, soaked overnight, drained, or one 15-ounce can navy beans, rinsed
- •1 to taste Kosher salt
- •1 pound green and/or wax beans
- •3 cups olive oil
- •2 sprigs rosemary
- •2 cloves garlic
- •4 steaks 4-ounce bigeye or albacore tuna steaks
- •1 to taste black pepper
- •4 anchovies anchovies packed in oil
- •1 small shallot
- •¼ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
- •¼ cup fresh lemon juice
- •1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- •2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill plus small sprigs for serving
- •1 cup small Sun Gold or cherry tomatoes
- •¾ cup Kalamata olives
- •1 piece deep-fry thermometer
Cooking Instructions
- 1.
Bring flageolet beans and 4 cups water to a boil in a large saucepan, reduce heat, and simmer until beans are tender, 50-60 minutes; season with salt. Let beans cool; drain. Transfer to a medium bowl. (Do not cook canned beans.)
60 min
- 2.
Cook green beans in another large saucepan of boiling salted water until crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Drain and transfer to a colander set in a bowl of ice water. Let cool; drain and set aside. Wipe saucepan dry.
5 min
- 3.
Heat oil, rosemary, and garlic in same saucepan over medium-low heat until deep-fry thermometer registers 160°F. Season tuna with salt and pepper and cook in oil until opaque except for a bit of pink in the center, about 4 minutes per side. Using a slotted spatula, transfer tuna to a plate. Let poaching oil cool, then remove rosemary and garlic. Set aside 1/4 cup oil.
15 min
- 4.
Whisk anchovies, shallot, parsley, lemon juice, mustard, chopped dill, and reserved poaching oil in a small bowl; season with salt, pepper, and more lemon juice, if desired. Add some vinaigrette to bowl with flageolet beans and toss to coat.
10 min
- 5.
Break tuna into large pieces and arrange on a platter with flageolet and green beans, tomatoes, and olives. Top with a few dill sprigs and serve with remaining vinaigrette alongside.
10 min
- 6.
DO AHEAD: Tuna can be made 1 day ahead. Return fish to cooled oil, cover, and chill. Serve at room temperature.