Oil Poached Tuna Recipes

OLIVE OIL POACHED TUNA INFUSED WITH THYME, LEMON, AND SHALLOTS

Steps:

• Season the tuna with salt and pepper and set aside. Combine the oil, thyme, lemon, garlic, red pepper and shallots in a large saucepot. Warm the oil over medium heat until it reaches 130 degrees F. Let the flavors steep for 10 minutes. Re-test the temperature, adjusting the heat, if necessary. Submerge the tuna in the olive oil poaching liquid and cook until it is firm and medium-rare, approximately 5 minutes.
• Remove the tuna from the oil. Slice each piece. Arrange the tuna medallions over stewed lentils accompanied by sauteed broccoli rabe. Serve seasoned with Fleur de Sel and moistened with the olive oil poaching liquid.
• Place the lentils in a pot. Add enough cold water to cover them by 2 inches. Season the water with salt then simmer the lentils over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until the lentils are chewy, about 15 minutes. Drain the lentils and reserve.
• Heat the olive oil in a medium pot, over medium-low flame. Add the shallots, garlic, crushed red pepper, and rosemary. Cook stirring frequently until the shallots and garlic are golden, about 10 minutes. Add the tomato puree and cook until it begins to concentrate, about 7 minutes. Then add the lentils. Stew the lentils in the sauce over a very low flame until they are fully tender but still holding their shape, about 10 minutes. Serve warm.

OLIVE OIL POACHED TUNA MELTS

Steps:

• Place the oil, thyme, rind of the lemon peeled into strips, bay leaves and crushed garlic in a pan and bring to a gentle boil over medium-high heat. Then remove the pan from the heat and add the trimmed fish. Let stand 20 minutes. Then remove the fish, reserving the poaching oil, cool and flake.
• In a bowl, combine the juice of the lemon with 1/3 cup reserved poaching oil. Whisk to combine and season with salt and pepper. To the dressing, add the celery, onions, hot and sweet peppers, olives, parsley, capers and tarragon. Season the fish with a little seafood seasoning and add to the salad. Combine with the tines of a large fork, cover and store.
• To serve, place the rack in the center of the oven and preheat the broiler.
• Shred the Cheddar or Gruyere cheese on the large side of a box grater.
• Pile the tuna salad on the bottom of the rolls. Top with the cheese. Place both the bottoms and tops under the broiler to toast and melt the cheese, 2 minutes. Serve hot.

OLIVE OIL-POACHED ALBACORE TUNA

Steps:

• Season the tuna by sprinkling it with salt; set the tuna aside while you prepare the oil (this has the added benefit of taking the refrigerated chill off the tuna before cooking it.
• Choose a medium frying pan or large saucepan big enough to hold the fish in a single layer. Add enough oil to come about 1/2 inch up the pan.
• Add the garlic, peppercorns, bay leaf, orange or lemon zest, and chile (if using).
• Warm the oil over medium-low heat just until bubbles form on the sides of the pan. Add the tuna; use a spatula or kitchen tongs to gently lower each filet into the oil, taking care not to drop the fish in or splatter the hot oil.
• The oil should cover the tuna (if it doesn't follow the directions in parentheses). Adjust the heat to maintain those few bubbles on the sides of the pan. Gently simmer until the tuna's cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes for a 1 inch-thick piece of tuna (if the oil doesn't quite cover your filets, you may want to flip the fish over at the half-way point. While the fish cooks, set a cooling rack over a rimmed baking sheet or layers of papers towels; or simply line a plate of a few layers of paper towels.
• Use a spatula or slotted spoon to lift the tuna out of the oil and onto the prepared cooling rack or towels to drain. Serve the filets whole for diners to cut up themselves; slice them to serve; or, flake the filets into something that resembles canned tuna. * Look for line-caught Pacific albacore tuna as it is a well-managed and sustainable fishery . Also, albacore caught this way tend to have very low levels of mercury built up in their systems.

OLIVE OIL POACHED ALBACORE TUNA, REMOULADE, AND CHEDDAR CHEESE SANDWICHES

Steps:

• Place the rosemary, bay leaves, and lemon slices along the bottom of a medium saucepan. Arrange the tuna on top, and pour the oil over to cover completely. Sprinkle with the salt and pepper. Cook over low heat for about 8 to 10 minutes, until the first bubble appears in the oil. (It should still be cool enough to be able to dip your finger in it.)
• Immediately remove the pan from the heat, flip each piece of fish over, and cover the pan with a lid. Allow the tuna to sit in the warm oil for about 5 to 10 minutes, until it's cooked all the way through. Remove the tuna and refrigerate. Strain the oil and reserve for the Remoulade, chilling it for at least 30 minutes, or until cooled to room temperature.
• Prepare Remoulade, as described in the recipe below.
• Place the tuna in a medium bowl and, using your fingers, flake it into large chunks. Add 3/4 cup of the Remoulade and mix to combine. Season with salt, pepper, and lemon juice, to taste. If you like, add the remaining Remoulade.
• Adjust the oven rack to the upper position, and preheat the boiler.
• Toast the bread, and the rub 1 side of each slice with the garlic clove. Place on a baking sheet, garlic side up.
• Pile the tuna unevenly over the bread. Crumble the cheese and scatter it unevenly over the center, leaving a 1-inch border of tuna around the edge. Heat under the broiler for about 30 seconds, until the cheese is melted. Squeeze a few drops of lemon juice over and sprinkle with chives.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer or in a medium stainless steel bowl, whisk the egg yolk, salt, and mustard by hand. Slowly drizzle in the oil, drop by drop, whisking constantly. As the mixture begins to thicken, add a teaspoon each of the lemon juice and water.
• Once you've added almost half of the oil, place the bowl in the mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, and mix on medium speed, or continue to whisk in the oil by hand. Pour the oil in a slow, steady trickle, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. As the mixture thickens, add a little more of the lemon juice and water, and continue whisking until the remaining oil is completely incorporated and the sauce is thickened.
• Stir in the red onion, capers, cornichons, tarragon, and parsley. Season with lemon juice and salt, to taste.