Chef Bill Fuller's Recipes: Rare Tuna On Focaccia & 2 Hearty, Healthy Salads

Chef Bill Fuller stopped by PTL to make some fresh and healthy dishes today!

Rare Tuna on Focaccia and Two Hearty, Healthy Salads

• 3 ea. Red bell peppers
• ½ C. Celery Seed Vinaigrette
• 3 ea. 8 oz. Tuna steaks, must be fresh, #1 tuna with no sinew
• 2 Tbs. Neutral oil
• 1 ea. Focaccia (quarter sheet pan size)
• ½ C. Lemon Aioli
• ½ # Arugula
• Salt and Pepper

1) Make Celery Seed Vinaigrette and Lemon Aioli.
2) Roast red peppers over grill or open flame until skin is blackened and bubbly. Place in bowl. Seal with plastic wrap and allow to cool.
3) Peel and seed peppers. Do not rinse! Julienne and dress with half the Celery Seed Vinaigrette.
4) Heat cast iron griddle over high heat.
5) Season the tuna steaks on both sides with salt. Add cooking oil to lightly coat griddle.
6) Sear quickly on both sides. Allow to rest.
7) Slice bread in half by placing knife parallel to the cutting board and cutting the top off the bottom.
8) Spread bottom with Lemon Aioli.
9) Slice tuna into slices 1/8" thick and shingle over the bread.
10) Sprinkle with peppers.
11) Lightly dress arugula with Celery Seed Vinaigrette and sprinkle over the peppers.
12) Close top and place 24 picks evenly spaced in rows across the focaccia.
13) Cut focaccia into 24 pieces.

Celery Seed Vinaigrette

• ½ C. Red wine vinegar
• 1 ea. Small shallot, minced
• ½ tsp. Dijon mustard
• Zest and juice 1 lemon
• 1 Tbs. Celery seeds
• 1 C Olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste

1) Place all ingredients in blender except olive oil.
2) Begin blending.
3) When all ingredients are pureed, slowly drizzle in olive oil.
4) Season to taste.

Lemon Aioli

• 3 ea. Cloves garlic
• 2 ea. Egg yolks
• Zest and juice of 1 lemon
• 1 C. Mild olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste

1) Put garlic and egg yolks in blender. Add a pinch of salt and pepper and while the blender is running drizzle in ½ of the oil. Add lemon zest and juice and then drizzle in the rest of the oil while blender is running.
2) Taste to see if it needs more seasoning and if it is to thick add a little ice water.

Summer Wild Rice and Vegetable Salad

• 2 ea. Medium zucchini, cut into planks
• 2 ea. Bell peppers, Cut into sections
• 2-3 Tbs. Extra virgin olive oil
• 2 ea. Cloves garlic, sliced thinly
• Salt and pepper
• 4 ea. Ears of corn, husked and cut off the cob.
• 1 C. French Green Lentils
• 1 C. Wild Rice
• ½ C. Chopped fresh oregano
• Red Wine Vinaigrette
• Salt and pepper
• ½ # Fresh goat cheese (chevre)

1. Cook French Green Lentils and Wild Rice.
2. Lay squash and peppers on a tray. VERY lightly oil with extra virgin olive oil. Use your hands to evenly coat the cobs and planks. Season with sliced garlic, salt, and pepper.
3. Grill zucchini and peppers over a hot grill until barely cooked. Allow to cool completely.
4. Dice zucchini and peppers. Add to corn, Wild Rice, French Green Lentils, and oregano in a bowl. Dress with Red Wine Vinaigrette and adjust seasonings.
5. Sprinkle with fresh goat cheese.

French Green Lentils

• 1 ea. Bay leaf
• 1 C. French green lentils
• 2-3 C. Water
• 2 tsp. Salt
• 1 tsp. Pepper

1. Place bay leaf, lentils, water, salt and pepper in a medium saucepot.
2. Bring to a simmer and allow to cook. Stir occasionally. Add more water as needed to keep the lentils moist.
3. Cook until lentils are firm yet soft. This should take about 30 minutes. Remove from heat and strain.
4. Cool fully.

Wild Rice

• 1 C. Wild rice
• 1 ea. Shallot, minced
• 3 C. Water
• 1 Tbs. Chopped fresh thyme
• 2 tsp. Salt
• 1 tsp. Pepper

1. Place all ingredients in a pot. Bring to a simmer and keep heat at barely a simmer. Cook for 45 minutes to 1 hour until rice is tender but not destroyed.
2. At end of cooking, season with salt and pepper. Allow time for rice to absorb seasonings from cooking liquid.

Red Wine Vinaigrette

• ¼ C Red wine vinegar
• 2 Tbs Balsamic vinegar
• ¾ C. Extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tsp. Dijon mustard
• Salt and pepper

1) Place all ingredients in a pint jar.
2) Shake like heck to get it to mix.

Tomato, Olive, and Basil Salad

• 4 ea. Very ripe tomatoes, different colors and varieties, quartered
• 1 ea. Cucumber, peeled, seeded and diced
• ¼ C. Kalamata olives, pitted, sliced, and rinsed
• ½ ea. Red onion, julienned and rinsed in cold water
• 1 pt. Carmen peppers, sliced thinly
• 1 ea. Bunch of really nice basil (at least 20 leaves), torn
• ½ C. White balsamic vinegar
• ¼ C. Extra virgin olive oil
• Salt and pepper

1) Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl.
2) Dress with vinegar and oil.
3) Season with salt and pepper.
4) Toss, taste, and adjust seasonings.