Seabeck Succotash: Chimichurri Sauce; Tuna Provencal

The 2009 salute to Indiana Succotash took place last weekend. Every year for at least 15 years, Bob and I have spent Labor Day Sunday (or an approximate day) with our old friends from Olympia. This year we went over the bridge and through the woods, with only a minor wrong turn, to the Duncan’s on Hood Canal. Cuban food was the emphasis with appetizers of fried plantains, mango cubes, olive crackers, grilled chorizo, and the best possible spicy roasted shrimp served with a garlic miso sauce. (Who knew that miso made it to Cuba?)

First course was a lentil and vegetable soup with toasted bread rounds, then came the groaning table part: green beans with ham, spicy potato salad, black beans and rice, grilled fresh corn with cayenne mayonnaise and lime salt, and thinly sliced marinated skirt steak with cilantro chimichurri, followed by rum cake with whipped cream. Beth had the con in the kitchen and did a masterful job. She has excellent taste buds and everything was perfectly seasoned. I’m not embarrassed to report that I participated in every course served.

There were adventures to share: Marilyn to a Ricky Tims seminar, Fritz to Estonia to give a few lectures, MacGregor fresh from a sea adventure on a 165-foot oceanographic research ship, Nancy and Tom soon to Thailand, Laos, and Vietnam, and me and my date with Dr. Walsh coming up soon.

Chimichurri Sauce

You can mince the ingredients by hand or use a food processor, which is faster and easier. There are many variations on this condiment, and it is served with everything from empanadas to grilled steak.

Marinate the tuna steaks in oil, garlic, chili flakes, lemon juice, salt and black pepper for at least one hour.

Peel and finely chop the onion. Peel, seed and chop the tomatoes.

Heat 1-tablespoon olive oil in a sauté pan. Brown the tuna steaks until lightly browned on all sides. Tuna will be rare in the middle.

In the oil remaining, sauce the chopped onions in olive oil until softened but not browned. Add the crushed garlic, the thyme, bay leaf, pomegranate molasses, tomatoes, balsamic vinegar, and the white wine or chicken stock. Bring to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. If the sauce becomes too dry, add more chicken stock.

Add olives and capers. Replace the tuna steaks, cover the dish and cook very gently for about 5 minutes, basting the fish with the sauce from time to time. If you prefer the tuna a little more done, continue to simmer for 5 more minutes.

Cook pasta until done to your liking. Coarsely chop spinach and place in the bottom of a large bowl. Strain pasta and pour hot over spinach. Add smidge of olive oil, Parmesan cheese, and season with salt & pepper.

You can also add the chopped spinach at the last minute to the boiling pasta and strain.

Mound pasta on a plate and set tuna along the side. Either top tuna with sauce, or use sauce as a base to set tuna on.