Ingredients:

  Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
--------  ------------  --------------------------------
  1              pound  sugar snap peas
  1              pound  small red potatoes -- cut in bite size
                        -- pieces
  1              pound  fresh tuna steaks -- i-inch thick, well
                        -- trimmed
     1/4         pound  teardrop tomatoes
                        assorted baby lettuce leaves
                        ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
                        ***BASIL VINAIGRETTE***
  2        tablespoons  red wine vinegar
  6        tablespoons  olive oil
     1/4           cup  basil leaves -- julienned
  1              clove  garlic -- minced
                        salt and pepper

Preparation:

Whisk the vinaigrette ingredients together and adjust the seasonings to taste. Steam the sugar peas for 2 minutes and refresh in ice water. Steam the potatoes just until tender, about 4 minutes. Refresh in ice water. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and toss lightly with the peas in a little of the vinaigrette. Grill or broil the tuna about 4 minutes per side. Cut into 1-inch chunks. Add the tuna (warm or at room temperature) to the vegetables and toss with the remaining dressing. Arrange the tuna and vegetables on a platter or individual salad plates lined with baby lettuce. VARIATION: Add 2 tablespoons prickly pear syrup to the dressing. Notes: This recipe is not specifically southwestern, other than the fact that tuna is found in southwestern U.S. and Mexico waters. The salad is really a version of salad nicoise but without Nicoise olives and using fresh grilled tuna.

Nutritional Information:

181 Calories (kcal); 20g Total Fat; (98% calories from fat); trace Protein; 1g Carbohydrate; 0mg Cholesterol; trace Sodium