RECIPE: Seared Tuna and Avocado Salad with Microgreens

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This recipe features microgreens, a fresh and fun ingredient you can grow at home. For more information and microgreen resources, read “Microgreens: Grow Them on Your Sunny Windowsill.”

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Seared tuna and avocado salad

RECIPE: Seared Tuna and Avocado Salad with Microgreens


  • Author: Catherine Walthers
  • Yield: Serves 2 to 4 1x

Description

This makes a great lunch or casual dinner, all in one. Cut the avocado and tuna when you are ready to serve. If you are not a tuna fan, try this salad with roasted salmon or smoked bluefish (see variations below).


Ingredients

Units Scale

Salad Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon Cajun spice or lemon-pepper mix

  • Approximately 3/4 to 1 pound of sushi-grade tuna

  • Olive oil

  • 2 cups broccoli or arugula microgreens, rinsed and spun dry

  • 1 English cucumber, cut into thin slices on a diagonal

  • 2 just-ripe avocados, cut into slices

  • 1/2 small red onion, sliced razor-thin

  • lemon slices for garnish

Lemon Basil Vinaigrette Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

  • 1 tablespoons chopped basil

  • 1 clove garlic, minced

  • 1/2 cup olive oil


Instructions

  1. Place the spice rub on a plate and coat the tuna on both sides. Heat a cast iron or small heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add a film of olive oil and place the tuna in the pan, and sear for 3 to 5 minutes to get a nice crust about ¼ inch thick. Turn the run over and sear the other side, until you see a ¼-inch crust. Let cool, and place in the fridge until ready to slice and use.

  2. Place the microgreens in a large, wide bowl or platter, with enough room to show off the toppings. Top with thinly sliced cucumber, sliced avocado, and red onion. When ready to serve, slice the tuna and place on top, with lemon garnishes. 

  3. Make the dressing by whisking together the lemon juice, basil, garlic and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Pass the dressing at the table, and let each guest spoon or pour on their own. You’ll have leftover dressing. 

Notes

Variations

  • Roasted Salmon: 1 pound salmon. Preheat oven to 400°F. Sprinkle salmon with salt and pepper and a film of olive oil, and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, depending on thickness, until just cooked through. Cool slightly. Break into large pieces and scatter over the salad.
  • Smoked Bluefish or Salmon: No cooking needed. Buy packages of smoked bluefish or salmon fillets. Break into large pieces, and place on the salad.

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Catherine Walthers
Catherine Walthers
Catherine Walthers, Bluedot’s food editor, is a Martha’s Vineyard-based writer, culinary instructor, and private chef. A former journalist, she is the author of 4 cookbooks, including Kale, Glorious Kale, Soups + Sides, and Raising the Salad Bar. She wrote an environmental guidebook called A Greener Boston published by Chronicle Books in 1992. Follow her on Instagram @catherine_walthers.
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