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TUNA CONFIT
2 pounds albacore or yellowfin (ahi) tuna, in one piece
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 1/2 tsps each of ground black pepper, fennel seed and coriander seed
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon red chile flakes
2 sprigs each fresh thyme, parsley and basil
2 bay leaves
2 cloves garlic, crushed and peeled
Zest of 1/2 lemon, removed with a vegetable peeler
Extra virgin olive oil to cover, approximately 1.5 quarts
Remove the skin and bloodline from the tuna and quarter it lengthwise into four log-like pieces of approximately equal thickness. Combine the salt, pepper, fennel, coriander, sugar and chili flakes and season the tuna on all sides.
Arrange tuna pieces in a non-reactive baking dish just large enough to hold them. Make sure the dish is deep enough to allow you to cover the tuna with olive oil. Add the fresh herbs, bay leaves, garlic and lemon zest to the dish and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 4 hours.
Preheat oven to 300°. Uncover the baking dish and add enough olive oil to cover the tuna. Bake for 30 minutes, checking occasionally to make sure the oil does not boil. Reduce heat if necessary. Remove the baking dish from the oven and let tuna cool to room temperature in the oil.
Refrigerate for up to 1 week. To use, remove the tuna from the oil and flake by hand. Makes 2 pounds tuna confit. Makes 8-16 servings depending on use.
You can use leftover oil from the confit in salad dressings or sautes for a couple of weeks after you eat the tuna. Warm and strain the oil to remove the seasonings, then keep the oil refrigerated.
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