everything deserves a second chance

for a long time, 

i wasn't a fan of seared tuna.

i felt that it should be raw

or...well, just raw.

fully cooked tuna is thick

and dry and not really 

so appealing to me either.

the fact, that the middle

of seared tuna yields a 

completely different

consistency than the firm

exterior, just

didn't work for me.

but i believe firmly in trying

everything at least once 

and that if you don't like

something, you should sample it again

every once in a while, just to see.

(i've tried this with fennel to little success,

but still i haven't completely given up on the

anise-flavored bulb yet.)

plus, larry loves it. 

so, in recent years,

i've borrowed a bite

here and there from his

plate, thinking, maybe

it's not so bad.

so when fresh and wild tuna

went on sale last week,

i decided to give it a go 

at home.

after a typical recipe-finding

frenzy, i opted to bridge

two recipes, or rather

a concept and a recipe.

the first, tuna "burgers,"

which were really just steaks

grilled and put on a bun,

was appealing, but none 

of the flavor combinations

grabbed me. then i saw this recipe 

for seared tuna

over pasta that's been

tossed with 

green olives

arugula

and 

lemon.

it was worth a shot.

instead of using an 

olive tapenade or bruschetta,

i tossed herb marinated olives

in the food processor with

a clove of garlic,

a small splash of olive oil

and lemon juice.

a couple pulses and i 

had a coarsely chopped spread.

the rest was even easier.

while the tuna seared,

i lightly toasted mini ciabattas,

spread the bottom with a mayo,

the top with the olive mixture,

and added arugula leaves.

once the tuna was on the 

bread, a squeeze of lemon finished

off the deal. 

i had debated whether or not

to slice the tuna before 

placing it on the bread.

while the sandwich was good

as is, next time i would 

slice the seared fillet into 

smaller pieces.

my reasoning?

twofold:

first - look at the picture.

it's ridiculous.

maybe if i had started out 

with slightly thinner, but

wider pieces,

it wouldn't look

so much like i slapped a

sausage on a hamburger bun.

secondly, it's a mouthful.

i think the effect of the 

whole sandwich

would benefit overall from delicate

slivers instead of an inch-wide piece.

even so, the tangy lemon -

as always - did wonders to brighten

up the fish,

the salty and garlicky olives

added nice texture,

the arugula, a peppery bite

and the mayonnaise, subtle

creaminess that tied the whole

stack together.

surprisingly, considering that

all this really is is a big

piece of seared tuna, not

so cleverly hiding inside

other ingredients, 

one of which was

mayonnaise,

i liked it. 

i could handle it.

maybe i've turned a corner.

seared tuna, arugula and green olive sandwich

this sandwich is really great for a hot summer evening, when the idea of turning on your oven is enough to make you sweat and the last thing you want to do is spend time standing in the kitchen. the whole thing took about 15 minutes to assemble, but if you pop open a jar of green olive spread instead of mixing together your own, i bet you could get it down to ten.  also, save yourself the trouble and forget the measuring spoon for this one - just estimate.

1 tuna fillet, about 12 ounces (or two six-ounce fillets)

olive oil

2 small ciabatta loaves or other mini crusty breads

about 2 tablespoons reduced-fat mayo

handful of arugula

green olive spread or bruschetta (guide below, or store-bought)

1/2 lemon

if you bought one large fillet, halve evenly, using a very sharp knife. sprinkle both sides of tuna with kosher salt and cracked black pepper. in skillet over high heat, drizzle in a bit of olive oil (i used somewhere between one and two tablespoons). let heat 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until shimmering. add tuna and sear 1 minute, depending on how cooked you like your tuna. turn and cook 1 minute, more. then turn on the side and cook 30 seconds; repeat on remaining side. remove tuna from skillet and place on cutting board 3-5 minutes to rest, turning once.

meanwhile, halve ciabatta. toast lightly. spread bottom half with mayo. top with arugula leaves. spread top half with olive mixture. thinly slice tuna or leave whole and then place on top of arugula leaves. squeeze lemon over tuna. carefully place olive-smeared bread top over tuna. to cut in half, press firmly on either side and using a serrated knife, cut down the center.

quick green olive spread

if you do make your own olive mixture, chances are you'll have some left over. oh, and before you start mixing, taste an olive. if it's way too salty, give them a quick rinse and then shake dry a few times before proceeding.

1-2 large handfuls green olives, pitted and/or stuffed

1 large clove garlic, peeled

1/2 lemon, juiced

splash of olive oil

in bowl of food processor, combine olives and garlic. pulse 5 times or until combined and just chopped. squeeze in lemon juice and splash in a small amount of olive oil. pulse a couple more times, just to combine.