Grilled Salt and Pepper Tuna with McGrail Cabernet Sauvignon

Photo Credit: Frances Janisch

Tired of the same old poultry or red meat dinners? Look no further: try a nice grilled salt and pepper tuna steak for dinner tonight! This meal is easy to make and tastes like you're eating a five star restaurant! This dinner would pair amazingly with our famous Cabernet Sauvignon. While enjoying our cab, you might notice cherry, cassis, and plum as you swirl your glass around. The dark fruit is intermixed with smokey, toasty nuance and a hint of earth. The tannis are already approachable but very well balance. Our 2011 Cabernet Reserve is aged for 30 months in French, Hungarian, and American oak and is available for purchase here! 

What you'll need for the tuna

• 3 pounds sushi-grade tuna: you can find sushi-grade fish at any Ranch 99 or other Asian supermarket!
• 1/2 cup black pepper, coarsely ground
• 1/8 - 1/4 cup coarse sea salt (depending on how salty you like your food, 1/4 makes a fairly salty fish!)

What you'll need for the lemon caper butter

• 1 stick (8 tbsp) unsalted butter
• 2 tbsp capers
• 2 lemons
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper

Directions: 

To prepare the tuna:

1. Cut the tuna into 8 equal steaks.
2. Combine the pepper and salt in a small bowl and pour onto a clean plate.
3. Press each steak into the mix and coat evenly. Refrigerate until you're ready to grill.

To make the lemon caper butter:

1. Melt the butter in a small saucepan.
2. Add capers and cook for 2 minutes.
3. Add the lemon juice, salt and pepper and cook for 2 minutes to heat through.

To grill the tuna:

1. Add the tuna steaks to the grill and grill for 2 to 3 minutes on each side for medium-rare. Personal tip: make sure you don't overcook the tuna, it's better that it looks slightly under cooked. I can assure you, it most likely is not!
2. Drizzle with lemon caper butter. Top each plate of zucchini with a tuna steak.

Prep Time: 

10 minutes

Cooking Time: 

20 minutes

Sensory Analysis Classes at McGrail Vineyards

McGrail Vineyards and Winery Offers First Educational Series: Sensory Analysis taught by CWP Dale Carrillo

LIVERMORE, CA – November 23, 2009 – McGrail Vineyards and Winery www.mcgrailvineyards.com, family owned producer of premium wines from the Livermore Valley, has announced the first series of educational courses offering Sensory Analysis. Recent graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, in the Professional Wine Studies, Dale Carrillo, will lead fun, thought provoking, hands-on 1 hour classes.

The Sensory Analysis class being offered December 19th, January 23rd, and February 20th, from 1-2PM, will be in the barrel room of McGrail Vineyards and Winery and focus on the Cabernet Sauvignon varietal. The classes will be open to 30 students and the cost is $30 per person. Each student will leave with a great experience, premium wine tasting, barrel tasting, a handout of wine evaluation terminology and a wine aroma wheel.

According to Carrillo, students will learn the meaningful, precise, descriptive wine terms to describe the phenomena you see, smell, touch, and taste in wine. Students will walk away with a toolbox of evaluation skills to help make tasting even more enjoyable.

If you have a passion for wine and you are interested in diving deeper, this is the perfect introductory class. You will gain a better understanding of what is in your glass and you will walk away with skills to enjoy every sip you take.

McGrail Vineyards and Winery will be selling tickets for the class at the tasting room (5600 Greenville Road, Livermore, CA 94550) or you can order online at http://mcgrailvineyards.com/events.html.