Grilled Tuna Salad Sandwiches with Lemon-Habanero Mayonnaise and Watercress
This Caribbean pepper is famous for being the hottest chile pepper in the world. They come in a variety of shapes and colors(yellow, orange,green, red,chocolate). Not only are they extremely hot, but they also have a unique,distinctively fruity flavor.
It is the key ingredient in the popular Jamaican Jerk sauce. The habanero is also widely used in many different types of hot sauces. The popularity of this chile pepper continues to grow and is becoming easier to find on the grocery shelf.
Ingredients:
3 cups fresh lemon juice
1/2 to 1 whole habanero chile, chopped (only use the whole thing if you like it hot)
1 tsp grated lemon zest
1 cup best-quality mayonnaise
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 small red onion, finely diced
1 large stalk celery, finely diced
2 Tbsp chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
4 (8-oz) tuna steaks
Olive oil
8 slices hearty bread (Italian, French, ciabatta, or country white)
Watercress
Instructions:
Heat grill to high. Place lemon juice in a small saucepan and bring to boil on the grates of the grill. Cook until reduced to 1/2 cup. Remove from the grill and let cool slightly. Leave grill on high heat.
Place lemon syrup, habanero, lemon zest, and mayonnaise in a blender and blend until smooth. Season with salt and pepper, to taste, and transfer to a large bowl. Add the onions, celery, and parsley and set aside.
Brush tuna with oil and season with salt and pepper on both sides. Grill for 3 minutes per side or until slightly charred and cooked to medium doneness. Remove from the grill and let rest 5 minutes before cutting into small dice or flaking with a fork. Add the flaked tuna to the mayonnaise mixture and gently mix until combined. Divide the tuna salad among 4 slices of bread. Top the salad with a few sprigs of watercress and top with the remaining bread.
Makes 4 servings.
From Bobby Flay, foodnetwork.com