Johnson Beach Salad Recipe

Wash and assemble greens

Rinse and dry baby spinach and arugula thoroughly. In a large bowl combine 2 cups baby spinach and 2 cups baby arugula and set aside chilled.

Prepare vegetables

Thinly slice 1/4 cup red onion into half-moons. Halve 1 cup cherry tomatoes. Slice cremini mushrooms into thin slices to yield about 3/4 cup. Add onions, tomatoes, and mushrooms to the bowl with the greens and toss gently to distribute.

Cook bacon

In a skillet over medium heat, cook 3 slices of bacon until crisp, about 6–8 minutes, turning occasionally. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain, then chop or break into bite-sized pieces (about 1/2 cup). Add bacon to the salad bowl.

Add crunchy and cheese elements

Sprinkle 1/4 cup wasabi peas and 1/2 cup blue cheese crumbles over the dressed greens mixture when ready to serve (hold back a small pinch of wasabi peas for garnish if desired).

In a small bowl or jar combine 3 tbs olive oil, 1.5 tbs rice wine vinegar, 1 tsp soy sauce, 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard, 1/2 tsp honey, 1 tsp fresh lemon juice, 1/4 tsp black pepper and 1/4 tsp kosher salt. Whisk or shake vigorously until emulsified. Taste and adjust seasoning. Set aside.

Season tuna

Pat the 6–7 oz ahi tuna dry with paper towels. Rub the tuna with 1 tbs neutral oil. In a small bowl combine 1/2 tsp kosher salt, 1/4 tsp black pepper, 1/2 tsp paprika, 1/4 tsp garlic powder, 1/4 tsp onion powder and 1/8 tsp ground cumin. Press the spice mix firmly onto all sides of the tuna to form a blackened crust.

Sear

Heat a heavy skillet (cast iron preferred) over high heat until very hot, about 2–3 minutes. Add a thin film of oil if the pan is dry. Place the tuna in the skillet and sear without moving: 45–60 seconds per side for rare (center still pink); 75–90 seconds per side for medium-rare. For a stronger blackened crust, sear the edges briefly. Remove tuna and let rest on a cutting board for 2 minutes.

Slice

Using a sharp knife, slice the tuna against the grain into 1/4-inch thick slices (about 6–8 slices).

Just before serving, drizzle about half of the dressing over the greens and toss gently to coat. Arrange the dressed salad on individual plates or a large serving platter.

Fan the sliced blackened ahi across the top of the salad. Scatter the chopped bacon, remaining blue cheese crumbles (if any), mushrooms, red onion and cherry tomatoes evenly. Sprinkle the remaining wasabi peas and sesame seeds (if using) over the salad for crunch and visual contrast.

Garnish each portion with a lemon wedge. Serve immediately with the remaining dressing on the side.