TUNA KABOBS WITH MARINATED BABY ARTICHOKES

Tuna Kabobs with Marinated Baby Artichokes image

The baby artichokes are cooked in advance, so they only need to be grilled for a short time.

Yield Makes 8

Number Of Ingredients 18

Ingredients

3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
8 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1 1/2 pounds tuna loin, cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes
Marinated Baby Artichokes (recipe follows)
1 tablespoon coarse salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 lemons
1 1/2 pounds baby artichokes
1 head garlic, cut in half
2 tablespoons whole black peppercorns
2 tablespoons coarse salt
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 small bunch fresh thyme
Pinch of freshly ground black pepper
(makes 2 cups)

Steps:

Whisk together the mustard, lemon juice, red pepper flakes, 6 tablespoons olive oil, and garlic in a large bowl. Add the tuna, and toss to coat.
Thread 4 cubes of tuna, alternating with artichokes, on each of 8 skewers. Gently brush with some of the remaining olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.
Arrange the skewers, off direct heat, on a medium-hot grill. Grill, rotating the skewers and brushing with olive oil as necessary to prevent sticking, until the tuna is brown and charred on the outside and warm but still rare in the middle, about 5 minutes, depending on the heat of the grill. The artichokes should be tender and slightly charred.
Fill a large bowl with cold water; juice 2 lemons into the water. Set aside. Trim the spiky tops, tough stems, and outer leaves from the artichokes; halve lengthwise. Scrape any pink choke out from the center, leaving the artichoke half intact. Transfer cut artichokes to acidulated water immediately.
Drain the artichokes. Fill a large saucepan with water. Add the artichokes, garlic halves, peppercorns, 1 1/2 tablespoons salt, 2 tablespoons olive oil, and thyme to saucepan. Set over high heat; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, using a few layers of cheesecloth or a plate to keep the artichokes submerged, until tender when pierced with a sharp knife, about 5 minutes.
Remove from the heat, and drain. Reserve the artichoke halves, some of the garlic, and a few sprigs of thyme. Place in a bowl, and drizzle with the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil. Season with the remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and pepper. Keep refrigerated, up to 5 days, until needed.