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Ahi Salad with Avocado and Mache

Serves 6

The meaty texture and taste of the ahi matches well the smooth, creamy avocado, and the mache provides a nice, delicate platform for the two. I wrote this recipe to pair with the 2004 Grandview Russian River Sauvignon Blanc from Paradise Ridge. You could also match it with a Pinot Noir, by changing the base of the reduction to that wine and switching the mache to arugula for its added spice and crispness. When I serve this with any red wine, or a white wine that has less acid, I eliminate the lemon juice from the ahi salad and use only the zest.

You can serve this as a small course as I have done here, or as an hors d'oeuvre on a crisp crostini or cracker. As a salad, I suggest you serve it with your favorite crackers on the side. My choice is very thin rye crackers, but water or sesame crackers work just as well.
  • 3/4 pound ahi tuna (thick center cut is best)
  • 2 teaspoons capers, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons mayonnaise (made from a whole egg, not just the yolk)
  • 1/2 cup Paradise Ridge Sauvignon Blanc, reduced to 1 teaspoon
  • 4 teaspoons Italian parsley, chopped
  • zest from 1/4 of a lemon
  • 24 crisp crackers
  • 1 1/2 avocados
  • 1 quart loosely packed mache
  • half a lemon
  • about 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • coarse sea salt and pepper
Sprinkle the ahi with salt and pepper, then rub it with 1 teaspoon of olive oil and place in a hot sauté pan. Cook so the ahi browns on the outside yet remains rare (or slightly raw) on the inside, no more than 1-2 minutes on each side. Remove from the pan and allow to cool. As the fish sits it will cook a little more and end up closer to medium or medium rare.

Slice the ahi, then cut the slices into 1/4-inch cubes. Place in a bowl and add 3 teaspoons of olive oil, the capers, mayonnaise, parsley, lemon zest and Sauvignon Blanc reduction. Mix together and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Toss the arugula with 1 1/2 tablespoons of olive oil and place a small mound on each plate, slightly off to the side. On the open part of the plate place 6 thin slices of avocado (about 1/3 of an avocado), then a place a scoop of the tuna "salad" in the middle of the two. Drizzle a few drops of lemon on the fish and sprinkle with a bit of coarse sea salt.
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