As part of our “What the Doctor Ordered” series for Heart Month, we asked some of our favorite local restaurants to create heart-healthy meals with five cardiologist-approved ingredients.
Scarsdale Medical Group cardiologist Dr. Jeannette Yuen challenged Raffaele Ronca, Executive Chef and Owner of Rafele in Rye and Bianca in Greenwich, to create a heart-healthy recipe using tuna, kale, edamame, quinoa and avocado.
Chef Raffaele Ronca
Chef Raffaele is no stranger to cooking challenges: in 2016, he became a Chopped champion on the Food Network's hit cooking competition series. In addition, his cheesecake has been recognized as one of "The Best Cheesecakes in America" by Food and Wine.
For us, he developed a Grilled Tuna and Kale Salad dish. Heart-healthy benefits include:
- Tuna helps prevent the formation of blood clots in the arteries.
- Eating 2+ servings of avocado per week helps lower heart disease risk.
- Kale is high in antioxidants, which fight inflammation and support heart health.
- Edamame is rich in healthy fiber, antioxidants, and vitamin K.
Try this delicious meal at Rafele or by using the recipe below!
Grilled Tuna & Kale Salad
Ingredients:
4 Tuna steaks, 5 oz. each
1 bunch of organic black kale
1 cup of shelled edamame
½ cup of quinoa
2 avocados
2 or 3 lemons
Olive oil
Procedure:
1. Heat grill to 450 degrees.
2. In a bowl, mix edamame, 2 Tbsp. of olive oil, 2 Tbsp. of lemon juice and a pinch of salt; place bowl to the side.
3. Prepare the quinoa as directed on package.
4. Blanch the kale: wash kale thoroughly, place kale in a pot of boiling water for 4 minutes or until leaves are tender.
5. Remove avocado skin and pit. Place in blender with ½ cup of lemon juice, ½ cup of olive oil, dash of salt and pepper. Blend to a creamy consistency.
6. Mix together kale, quinoa, avocado puree, and ¾ of the edamame. Plate, creating a bed for the tuna steaks.
7. Grill tuna steaks for 2 minutes each side for medium rare, or as you like the temperature of your tuna. Place cooked tuna steak on top of the kale salad.
8. Top tuna steaks with remaining edamame.
Rafele is located at 26 Purchase Street in Rye. For reservations, visit rafelerye.com or call (914) 481-8417.