Grilled Yellowfin Tuna with Baby Beet Salad and Humboldt Fog

This grilled tuna dish from Lidia Bastianich is a delicious and filling option for non-meat eaters.

Yield

8 servings

Ingredients

Tuna:

  • 3 cups panko bread crumbs
  • 1 cup grated Grana Padano
  • 1/3 cup chopped thyme
  • 1/3 cup chopped parsley
  • Zest of 1 orange
  • Zest of 1 lemon
  • Pinch salt
  • One 4-pound yellowfin tuna loin
  • 
5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Beet Salad:

  • 6 cups roasted baby beets, sliced in half lengthwise

  • 1 tablespoon sea salt
  • 
3 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
  • 
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • Baby mesclun or other baby greens
  • 6 ounces crumbled Humboldt Fog

Method

In a large mixing bowl, combine the bread crumbs, Grana Padano, chopped herbs, garlic, lemon zest, orange zest, and salt. Mix well.

In another large mixing bowl, add the tuna loin and cover with the extra virgin olive oil. Turn the tuna to completely coat it with the oil. Let marinate for about 15 minutes. 

In another large mixing bowl, combine the cooked beets, salt, white balsamic vinegar, and extra virgin olive oil; toss gently to combine. Set aside.  

Preheat a grill or grill pan. Remove the tuna from the oil marinade and coat one side of the loin with the panko mixture, pressing down firmly to ensure the bread crumbs stick to the fish. 
 
Place the tuna, coated side down, on the grill. Sear for about 2 to 3 minutes, just until the tuna appears cooked halfway through. Remove the tuna from the grill and place on a cutting board. With a sharp chef’s knife, slice the tuna loin into 1/2-inch-thick slices.
 
Place a few slices of tuna on each plate. Spoon a few spoonfuls of beet salad next to the tuna. Garnish with a few leaves of baby mesclun and sprinkle with a pinch of the Humboldt Fog.

https://www.jamesbeard.org/recipes/grilled-yellowfin-tuna-with-baby-beet-salad-and-humboldt-fog