Spice-Crusted Big Eye Tuna atop Wilted Winter Greens With Roasted Pee Wee Potatoes

Yield: 2 servings

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients:

Spice-Crusted Big Eye Tuna

12 ounces of Big Eye Tuna or Yellowfin Tuna (both are in the Ahi species)

2 TBSP whole peppercorns

½ TBSP ground sea salt (I prefer Himalayan)

2 TBSP light olive oil or grapeseed oil (you need an oil with a high smoking point)

1 green onion, sliced on a bias for garnish

Wilted Winter Greens

1 package of kale salad (I like the ones with shaved kale, radicchio, and cabbage)

1 TBSP extra virgin olive oil

½ TBSP balsamic vinegar

¼ tsp each sea salt and ground black pepper

Roasted Pee Wee Potatoes

1.5 lbs PeeWee Medley Potatoes (sub in fingerling potatoes if you cannot find the pee wees), cut in half. The oblong potatoes are cut in half lengthwise.

2 TBSP extra virgin olive oil

3 springs of rosemary (one cut in half for garnish and the other two sprigs’ leaves removed from the stem and roughly chopped)

½ tsp each sea salt, ground black pepper, and garlic powder

1 TBSP chopped fresh parsley for garnish

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

2. Set out the tuna so it will begin to come to room temperature.

3. Grind the peppercorns in a spice grinder or mortar and pestle (I use a coffee grinder that serves as my spice grinder; I have a separate coffee grinder to keep the flavors separate)

4. On a small plate, add the ground peppercorns, sea salt and stir to combine.

5. Press the tuna into the pepper and sea salt on all sides to completely cover.

6. Set aside until you are ready to cook.

7. On a sheet pan, add the chopped potatoes. Coat with the olive oil, then rub the potatoes to be sure they are covered with oil. Sprinkle with chopped rosemary, sea salt, garlic powder, and ground black pepper.

8. Put the pee wee potatoes into the oven.

9. Heat a 12” skillet on medium heat, then add the olive oil. Once the olive oil is heated, add the winter greens. Cook for a couple of minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper and stir to combine. Once the greens are wilted, remove the skillet from the stove top.

10. Heat a cast-iron or hard-anodized skillet on medium high heat (I set it to 8/10), add the olive or grapeseed oil. Once the oil is quite hot, add the spice-crusted tuna. If you want it to be medium rare as pictured, then you need to cook for about 3 minutes on the first side, then two minutes on the other side. I also cook for 30 seconds on the edges. These times are based on a thick cut of tuna (1-1/2 to 2” thick). Set aside to rest.

11. Check the potatoes and see if they are ready. You want them to be sizzling and browned. Once you remove them, check the seasoning, and add salt and pepper to taste.

12. Let the tuna rest for 5-7 minutes, then slice in long, thin slices.

13. To plate, I divide the wilted winter greens to two plates, then top the greens with the tuna. I serve the potatoes alongside. Garnish with the half sprig of rosemary, chopped fresh parsley on the potatoes, and green onions on the tuna.