Carpaccio of Tuna
Here’s a fresh, light appetizer: thin slices of raw tuna on spicy greens dressed with a lemony vinaigrette. Caperberries, used as a garnish, are a product of Spain. They are about the size of an olive and come with a 1-inch stem attached. They are sold as garnishes for alcoholic drinks, and may be found in gourmet stores or specialty sections of groceries.
Ingredients
- Olive Oil - 3 tablespoons
- Yellowfin Tuna - Four 3-ounce, 1/4-inch-thick cross-cut slices (alt. bluefin tuna)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- Vinaigrette
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil - 2 tablespoons
- Shallots - 3, minced
- White Wine Vinegar - 2 tablespoons
- Lemon - Grated zest and juice of 1/2 lemon
- Chives - 1 teaspoon, snipped fresh
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- Baby Greens - 3 cups spicy, such as purslane, watercress, and/or arugula
- Garnish
- Celery - 1-1/2 tablespoons finely diced
- Tomato - 1-1/2 tablespoons finely diced
- Lemon - Grated zest of 1/2 lemon
- Caperberries - 1 tablespoon
- Potatoe Chips - 4 waffle-cut
- Chive - 8 stems
Instructions
To prepare the tuna: Place 1 slice of tuna on a sheet of plastic wrap rubbed with a little olive oil. Top with another piece of oiled plastic wrap and use the smooth side of a meat mallet or the side of a heavy bottle to pound the fish to a sheet 1/16-inch thick, turning it with each stroke to make a uniformly round piece. Season with salt and pepper. Repeat with the remaining pieces of fish. Refrigerate until ready to use.
To make the vinaigrette: In a small saute pan or skillet over medium heat, heat the olive oil and saute the shallots until they are translucent, about 2 minutes. Place the shallots and oil in a small non-aluminum bowl and add the remaining ingredients. Place 1/4 cup of the vinaigrette in a squeeze bottle and set aside.
To serve: Toss the greens with the remaining vinaigrette. Place some of the greens on each of the serving plates and place one piece of carpaccio in the center of each. Garnish with the celery and tomato, drizzle with the vinaigrette in the bottle, then add the lemon zest and caperberries. Finish each with a potato chip and two crossed chive stems.
