tuna crudo with gaeta olive aioli, sea salt and pepper

TOTAL TIME: 30 minutes plus chilling

MAKES: 4 servings

This tuna crudo, a web exclusive recipe, is from New York chef David Pasternack. When buying the fish for crudo, be sure to let the fish monger know you are serving it raw and ask for the best quality. Make the aioli for this dish 1 day before serving, as it needs time to chill and set up in the refrigerator. This crudo is meant to be served family-style, as part of an antipasti.

View full image

Ingredients

2 cups Italian Gaeta olives, pitted
1 large egg yolk
2 teaspoons hot water
3/4 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup canola oil
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 (1/4-inch-thick) 4- to 5-ounce piece tuna steak
High-quality extra-virgin olive oil, preferably a grassy, fruity and pungent Sicilian extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling)

Instructions

In the bowl of a food processor, purée olives, scraping down sides of bowl once or twice, until paste begins to form. Add egg yolk, hot water and lemon juice. With machine running, add canola oil in a slow and steady stream; purée, scraping down sides of bowl with spatula once or twice, until ingredients are well-incorporated and aioli is smooth, about 1 minute. Strain aioli through holes of a medium-mesh sieve (do not use a fine-mesh sieve), discarding any large olive pieces. Chill, covered, in refrigerator overnight or up to 1 day.

In a small bowl, mix together salt and pepper. Arrange fish on a serving plate. Put a dollop of aioli and a pile of salt and pepper mixture on the plate. Drizzle fish and aioli with olive oil. Serve immediately.

Note: Extra aioli keeps in an airtight container in refrigerator for several days; try it with any number of things, including pork chops, chicken, and boiled or mashed potatoes or other vegetables.

Recipe by David Pasternack

Photo by Andrew McCaul

June 2011