If ever I’m in a food rut, I turn to the food network.  As soon as I watch  show, I get inspired with flavor combinations, ingredients, and dishes.  That’s where this one came from.  It’s an adaptation of a Bobby Flay recipe that combines classic Tuscan flavors like lemon, fennel, rosemary, tuna, basil, olives, and anchovies.
Do you read “anchovies” with a scowl? Â You like caesar salad right? Â What do you think is in that dressing? Â Delicious anchovies! Â I agree with Bobby, “your friends like anchovies, they just don’t know it”, he says. Â So use them in this recipe, everyone will love it, and they will have no idea it’s anchovies that add so much flavor.
I like to make the dressing in a large bowl and add the salad ingredients on top as I’m slicing them up. Â If you’re going in the order the ingredients are listed as I did, the onion and fennel will soak directly in the dressing. Â I like this because it almost marinates the veggies and at the same time allows the veggies’ flavor to permeate the already flavor-packed dressing. Â Then the lettuce sits atop in the bowl away from the dressing so it doesn’t get soggy. Â That way you can prep the whole salad and toss it right before you’re ready to serve. Â It’s an easy method to enhance the overall flavor of the salad and to save on clean-up by eliminating extra bowls.
- 1 pound ahi tuna steaks (or 12 oz. canned tuna in olive oil)
- ¼ teaspoon ground fennel
- 1 teaspoon coconut oil
- salt and pepper
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, finely chopped
- 3 anchovies, canned in oil, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ¼ bulb fennel, thinly sliced
- ¼ red onion, thinly sliced
- ½ cup kalamata olives, roughly chopped
- 4 cups mixed baby greens
- ¼ cup fresh basil, chopped
- ¼ cup fresh italian flat-leaf parsley, chopped
- Season both sides of the tuna with salt, pepper, and the ground fennel.
- Heat a pan over medium heat. Add coconut oil. Add tuna and cook 3-4 minutes per side until just barely cooked through.
- Cool for about 5 minutes, then flake the fish apart into large chunks. Set aside.
- In a large bowl combine all dressing ingredients. Add all salad ingredients and chunked tuna. Toss to combine then serve!
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Definitely read “anchovies” with a scowl! That’s so funny you knew that’s how people would react. I’m going to try this on a day I feel very adventurous! If anyone’s gonna get me to like them, it’s you, Alicia!
I promise you’ll like them! It’s just a salty, savory taste 🙂 let me know!