Michelin Techniques for “Tuna Salad”

Michelin Techniques for "Tuna Salad"
Michelin Techniques for "Tuna Salad"

Fine Dining Tuna Salad

Parker Hallberg
We are going to attempt to take tuna salad sandwich and turn it into a fine dining dish.
Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 2 hours
Total Time 3 hours
Course Starter
Cuisine American
Servings 4 people

Ingredients
  

Tuna Confit

  • 1 lb Albacore Tuna
  • 1 liter Grape seed oil
  • 10 sprigs Thyme
  • 5 cloves Garlic, crushed
  • 1 lb Fingerling potatoes

Dressing

  • 1 ea Egg, yolk
  • 10 g Dijon mustard
  • t.t. Lemon juice
  • 8 oz Grape seed oil
  • 30 g Cornichons, brunoise
  • 30 g Celery, brunoise
  • 30 g Shallot, brunoise

Crisp

  • 1 Baguette
  • Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Lettuce Puree

  • 3 + 1 tbsp Butter
  • 1 large Shallot, sliced
  • 200 g Romain lettuce, sliced
  • 40 g White wine
  • 1 pinch Xanthan gum

Garnish

  • 1 stock celery
  • 1 oz Caviar

Instructions
 

Tuna Confit

  • Sprinkle the outside of the tuna with salt and let cure in the fridge for 1-2 hours. Tune on oven to 225F. Heat up the grape seed oil on medium heat and add in the thyme and garlic. Once the oil reaches 225 F add in the tuna and cook in the oven until tender, about 10 minutes.
  • Remove from the oil and add 1 Lb fingerling potatoes. Cook in a 350 F oven until tender, about 45 minutes. Break the tuna into large chunks and  for the potatoes, peel and break into bite sized pieces. 

Dressing

  • Combine egg yolk, dijon, lemon juice, salt pepper and a splash of water. Blend up and slowly drizzle in the oil. If the mayo starts to get too thick, add a bit more water. Mix in the cornichons, celery, and shallot. Store in the fridge. 

Crisp

  • Thinly slice the baguette length wise. Oil a sheet tray with oil and lay out the sliced bread. Brush the tops with oil and season with salt. Bake at 300 F until GBD, golden brown and delicious, about 15 minutes. Flip the bread on the sheet tray and let cool. 

Lettuce Puree

  • Sweat the shallot in 3 tbsp of butter with some salt. Once translucent, add in the lettuce and wilt with a pinch of salt. Add in the wine and cook until almost dry. The lettuce should be really tender. Transfer into a bowl and cool over an ice bath or in the freezer. Place in a blender with 1 tbsp of butter and a pinch of xanthan gum. Blend and pass. 

Garnish

  • Using a paring knife, peel the fibers off of the celery and slice thinly on a mandolin. For the leaves, pick the smallest ones. The yellow leaves will have better flavor than the green and will also be more tender.
Keyword Tuna salad