RFCJ RECIPE ARCHIVE
Posted by : Lita Lotzkar Salad, Tuna & Rice - pareve
From Zillah Bahar This is a traditional Mediterranean dish for you that brings the summer farmers' market to the festive Jewish table. In the homes of Italian Jews, tuna and rice is customarily eaten on the Sabbath, preferably during warm-weather months when the produce is at its best. If you'd like to stay in keeping with this tradition, as well as the strictures of the Day of Rest, you'll need to do most of the prep work for my recipe on Friday. You'll be cooking fresh artichokes, fresh tuna and rice, and processing green olive dressing. But the raw veggies -- tomatoes, red onion, cucumber -- go in at the last minute. That way you can be sure they'll be crisp, tangy and at their prettiest when served. Enjoy. FRESH TUNA AND RICE SALAD WITH GREEN OLIVE DRESSING Serves 6 4 medium artichokes, with stems 1/4 cup plus 1/2 tsp. lemon juice 1/4 cup white wine 1-3/4 cup filtered water 3/4 pound albacore tuna fillet 1/2 (2-ounce) can anchovy fillets 1/2 cup olive oil 2 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped 1/2 cup halved pitted green olives 1 cup white basmati rice 4 plum tomatoes, chopped 1/4 cup chopped red onion 1 cup diced cucumber freshly ground black pepper to taste Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Wash and towel dry the artichokes. Trim 1/4 inch off the stems, if necessary. In a large, heavy-bottomed pot with a tightly fitting lid, add 2 inches of water and 1/2 tsp. of the lemon juice. Place a collapsible steamer basket in the bottom of the pot. Cover the pot and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and arrange the artichokes on their sides in the pot. Steam the artichokes for 25 minutes. Turn the artichokes over and continue steaming for 20 minutes more. The artichokes are done when the tough outer leaves come off easily. Set aside until cool enough to handle, then peel off and discard all the tough leaves, thick skin of the stem, and the fuzzy choke (if any). Reserve any tender leaves close to the artichoke heart for the rice salad. Chop the inner stem and the artichoke hearts into 1/2-inch pieces. You should have about 1 cup. Set aside. While the artichokes are steaming, cook the fish and rice, and prepare the dressing. With a sharp knife, trim off any skin from the tuna fillet and cut it into 4 pieces of equal size and thickness. In an 11-by-7-inch baking pan, combine the wine and 1/4 cup of the filtered water. Place the fish in the liquid. Cover with foil. Bake the fish for 15 minutes. To test for doneness, pierce the fish with a fork. If the fork slides out easily, the fish is ready. Set aside to cool. Cut the tuna into 1/2-inch pieces and set aside. Place the anchovies in a strainer and rinse off the oil with cold water. In a blender or food processor, place the remaining 1/4 cup of lemon juice, anchovies, olive oil and garlic. Process until smooth and creamy white. Place the olives in a strainer and rinse off the oil with cold water. Add the olives and pulse just until incorporated. Set aside. Place the rice in a strainer and rinse in cold water. The rice is ready for use when the water runs out clear instead of cloudy. In a small, heavy-bottomed pot with a tightly fitting lid, add the rice and the remaining 1-1/2 cups of the filtered water. Cover the pot and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and cook the rice for 15 to 20 minutes. The rice is done when all the water is absorbed. Transfer the rice to a serving bowl. Pour the olive dressing all over the hot rice. Mix with a large spoon to thoroughly incorporate. Set aside to cool completely. Add the artichoke, the reserved artichoke leaves (if any), tuna, tomatoes, onion and cucumber. Toss and season with pepper to taste. Serve at room temperature with Middle Eastern cracker breads.
