Seared Rare Niçoise Tuna Lettuce Cups Recipe

By
Kerry Saretsky
a photograph of Kerry Seretsky, a contributing writer at Serious Eats.
Kerry Saretsky

Kerry Saretsky interned at Serious Eats in 2008, and wrote the French in a Flash recipe column. She also writes her own blog on modernized French cuisine called French Revolution Food.

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Updated May 15, 2019
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Kerry Saretsky

This isn't your typical Salade Niçoise! This is a chunky mix of herbes de Provence-seared rare tuna steak and marinated white anchovies, tossed with crisp haricots verts, juicy baby tomatoes, hearty potatoes, briny black olives and capers, sweet basil, and a lemon-thyme-honey citronette with that Provençal perennial: extra virgin olive oil. Spooned into lettuce cups and devoured like tacos, this is a hearty, bright, light-hearted take on a seaside classic.

Recipe Details

Seared Rare Niçoise Tuna Lettuce Cups Recipe

Active 10 mins
Total 10 mins
Serves 4 servings

Ingredients

  • 1/2 pound fresh tuna steak
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil, plus 2 teaspoons, plus 1/4 cup
  • 1 1/4 teaspoons herbes de Provence
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 medium clove of garlic, halved
  • 2 teaspoons zest and 1 tablespoon juice from 1 lemon
  • 1 teaspoon picked fresh thyme leaves
  • 2 teaspoons mayonnaise
  • 1/4 teaspoon honey
  • 2 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, cooked and cooled, cut into twelve pieces each
  • 6 tablespoons blanched and cooled haricots verts or green beans, cut into 1/2-inch lengths
  • 1/2 cup halved baby grape tomatoes
  • 3 tablespoons chopped Niçoise olives
  • 3 tablespoons slivered red onion
  • 1 tablespoon capers
  • 6 marinated white anchovies
  • 8 small leaves red leaf, romaine lettuce, or bibb lettuce

Directions

  1. Rub the tuna steak in 1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil. Season with herbes de Provence, salt, and pepper. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a small nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Sear the tuna for 45 seconds on each side, and immediately rub the hot fish with the cut side of the garlic. Set aside to cool for a few minutes, then cut into 1/2-inch cubes

  2. Whisk together the remaining 1/4 cup olive oil, lemon zest and juice, the thyme, the mayonnaise, and the honey, and season with salt and pepper. Cube the tuna. Toss the tuna, potatoes, beans, tomatoes, olives, onions, capers, and anchovies with the lemon dressing in a large bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Arrange the tuna salad in the lettuce cups and serve immediately.

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