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Note: Swordfish should be cooked to the same temperature as you would enjoy a piece of tuna (if immune deficiencies are not an issue). Overcooking will dry out the fish and make it chewy.

For a sweet-and-sour dish, add a handful of raisins, dates, dried apricots, or dried cherries, and some pine nuts, caperberries, and tsakistes green olives.

If you have some Garlic Purée (page 264), stir a tablespoon into the braised cauliflower.

CRETAN SPICED TUNA WITH BULGUR SALAD

TONOS KARYKEVMENOS ME KRITIKA BACHARIKA, SALATA ME PLIGOURI

SERVES 4 AS A PLATED ENTRÉE

Bulgur wheat comes in various sizes, and each one requires different cooking and/or soaking times. If you are unable to find precooked coarse (no. 3) bulgur, prepare it according to the instructions on the package.

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling

¼ cup minced Spanish or sweet onion

2 cloves garlic, crushed and chopped

1 cup coarse (no. 3) bulgur

3 cups water

Kosher salt and cracked black pepper

8 large sun-dried tomatoes, slivered

1 cup golden raisins

1 cup pine nuts

¼ cup capers

24 oil-cured Thássos olives (or Moroccan black olives), pitted and chopped

½ cup strained or Greek yogurt

¼ cup distilled white vinegar

Large pinch sweet paprika

2 tablespoons blended oil (90 percent canola, 10 percent extra-virgin olive)

1½ to 1¾ pounds ahi tuna loin, cut into 4 steaks

Cretan Spice Mix (page 270)

to ½ cup Red Wine–Black Pepper Vinaigrette (page 273)

¼ cup roughly chopped fresh herbs, such as parsley and/or dill

Fresh lemon juice

Sea salt

In a saucepan, warm the olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the onion and garlic and sauté gently until tender. Add the bulgur and stir over the heat for 2 minutes, to toast slightly. Add the water and a generous amount of kosher salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and remove from the heat. Cover and let stand for 1 hour.

Combine the cooked bulgur, sun-dried tomatoes, raisins, pine nuts, capers, and olives. Reserve. Whisk together the yogurt, vinegar, and paprika. Season with salt and pepper.

In a large skillet, warm the blended oil over medium-high heat. Season the tuna on both sides with salt and pepper. Dust all sides generously with the Cretan Spice Mix.

Sear the tuna for about 2 minutes, then turn over, reduce the heat, and cook for 1½ to 2 minutes more, depending on how you like to serve tuna.

Add just enough vinaigrette to dress the bulgur salad lightly. Season with salt and pepper, sprinkle with fresh herbs, and toss.

Smear a large spoonful of the yogurt mixture on each of 4 dinner plates. Top with bulgur salad. Cut the tuna steaks into thick slices and place on top of the salad. Drizzle with lemon juice and olive oil. Finish with sea salt and cracked pepper.

ROASTED SCALLOPS WITH CAULIFLOWER, TART DRIED CHERRIES & CAPERS IN BROWN BUTTER SAUCE

KTENIA PSITA, KOUNOUPIDI, APOXYRAMENA KERASSIA, KAPARI, SALTSA VOUTYROU

SERVES 4 AS AN APPETIZER

This is a superquick pan-roast, so get everything ready before you begin. Then go straight to the table as soon as it’s done.

Florets from 1 small head cauliflower, roughly chopped

Kosher salt and cracked black pepper

1½ tablespoons olive oil, divided

12 (U-10) diver-caught scallops, side adductor muscle removed

Good pinch ground cinnamon

1 large shallot, finely chopped, divided

2 cups (about 2 ounces) triple-washed spinach leaves

cup unsalted butter

2 large leaves sage, slivered

1½ tablespoons capers

½ cup tart dried cherries

In a saucepan, cover the cauliflower with cold water, season with salt, and bring to a boil. Prepare an ice water bath. When cauliflower is tender, shock immediately and reserve. (You may do this step an hour or two ahead of time, if you like.)

In a sauté pan, heat half the olive oil over high heat until very hot. Season the scallops with salt and pepper and place them in the hot pan. Do not move them for 2½ to 3 minutes, until the bottoms are crusty and golden. Flip the scallops and remove the pan from heat, leaving scallops in pan.

In another pan, warm