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Source: The Barbecue Bible by Steven Raichlen (Workman, 2008)
Method: Direct grilling
Serves: 4 as a light main course
Advance preparation: 30 minutes for marinating the tuna

For the dressing:

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar, or more to taste
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 clove garlic, minced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 to 2 anchovy fillets (optional), rinsed, blotted dry, and finely chopped
1 tablespoon brined capers, drained
12 fresh basil leaves, thinly slivered, plus 4 to 6 small sprigs for garnish

For the salad:

4 tuna steaks (each about 1-inch thick and 6 ounces)
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Coarse sea salt
Cracked black peppercorns
1 pound small red potatoes, scrubbed and cut in half
12 ounces haricots verts or regular green beans, ends trimmed
1 large red onion, peeled and cut into 12 wedges (leave the root ends on)
Freshly ground black pepper
5 cups mesclun (mixed baby salad greens)
2 large ripe tomatoes, cut into wedges
2 hard-cooked eggs, cut into wedges
1/3 cup nicoise or other black olives, rinsed and drained

You’ll also need: A vegetable grate (optional)

Make the dressing: Place the 1 tablespoon of lemon juice and the wine vinegar, mustard, and garlic in a mixing bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste and whisk until the salt dissolves. Whisk in the 1/4 cup of olive oil in a thin stream, then whisk in the anchovies, if using, capers, and basil. Taste for seasoning, adding more vinegar and/or salt as necessary; the dressing should be highly seasoned. Set the dressing aside.

Make the salad. Place the tuna in a shallow dish with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and the 2 tablespoons of lemon juice. Season with sea salt and cracked black peppercorns to taste. Turn the fish a couple of times to coat thoroughly and let marinate, in the refrigerator, covered, for 30 minutes.

Place the potatoes in a medium saucepan and add lightly salted water to cover. Bring the potatoes to a boil, reduce the heat, and let simmer until just tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the potatoes to a colander, run cold water over them, and let them drain. Let the water in the saucepan return to a boil. Add the haricots verts and let cook in the rapidly boiling water until they are tender-crisp, about 1 minute. Drain the beans, run cold water over them, then drain again.

Set up the grill for direct grilling and preheat to high.

When ready to cook, if using a vegetable grate, preheat it for 5 minutes. Toss the potatoes, green beans, and onion wedges with the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil and season with salt and pepper to taste. Arrange the vegetables on the hot vegetable grate or grill grate and grill, turning with tongs, until nicely charred on the outside, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Transfer to a platter and let cool.

Brush and oil the grill grate. Drain the tuna steaks and place them in the basket or on the hot grate. Grill the tuna until cooked to taste, 3 to 5 minutes per side for medium-rare. Transfer the tuna to a cutting board, let it rest for 3 minutes, then cut it into thin crosswise slices.

Just before serving, mound the mesclun in the center of a large platter and arrange the tomato wedges, haricots verts, potatoes, and onion wedges (cut off the root end), hard-cooked eggs, and olives in an attractive pattern around the greens. Whisk the dressing again, then spoon it over the salad. Garnish the salad with the basil sprigs and serve.