French Country Tuna Burgers & Green Bean Salad

Ingredients

4 tuna steaks (6 to 8 ounces each), cut into large chunks
2 sprigs rosemary, leaves stripped and finely chopped
4 sprigs thyme, leaves stripped and chopped
Juice of 1 lemon and zest, divided
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 pound green beans, trimmed
3/4 cup pitted Nicoise olives
3 tablespoons capers
1 2-ounce tin flat anchovy filets, drained
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO), plus some for liberal drizzling

2 vine-ripe tomatoes, cut into wedges
2 hard-boiled eggs (can be found at the salad bar counter of market), chopped
8 leaves of leaf lettuce
1 red onion, very thinly sliced
4 large crusty rolls, split in half

Yields: 4 servings

Preparation

Spread black olive paste on the rolls and top each burger with leaf lettuce and sliced red onion. Serve the green bean salad alongside.

Place an inch of water in a skillet and bring to a boil.

Place tuna in food processor and coarsely chop, then remove and transfer to a bowl. Add herbs and half of the lemon zest, season with salt and pepper, and combine. Form 4 large patties and reserve on a plate in the refrigerator until ready to cook.

Wash the food processor bowl and return to base. Place olives, capers, anchovies, remaining lemon zest and a drizzle of EVOO in the processor and process into a smooth paste.

To the boiling water, add some salt and the green beans. Cook 5 minutes, then cold-shock the beans under cold, running water. Drain and reserve.

Heat 2 tablespoons EVOO in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Cook tuna burgers 3 minutes on each side for rare, or 6 minutes on each side to cook through completely.

Combine beans with tomatoes and some of the thinly sliced onion. Dress salad liberally with EVOO, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Top with the chopped hard boiled eggs.