CALABRIAN TUNA TARTARE TOAST

• servings: serves 4-6

Ingredients

¾ pound high-quality tuna

Sourdough bread, or any crusty loaf, cut into 1-inch slices

1 lemon

1 tablespoon chopped

Calabrian chilies

3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives

Lemon aloli (recipe follows)

Extra-virgin olive oil, for frying and finishing

Flaky salt

1 large egg yolk

1 small garlic clove, peeled and finely grated

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

¼ cup vegetable oil

¼ teaspoon kosher salt

1 lemon

White wine vinegar (optional)

Makes about 2 cups

Directions

PREP THE TUNA: Using a very sharp knife, cut the tuna into ½ inch- thick cubes. Transfer the tuna to a medium bowl, cover, and refrigerate until you're ready to serve.

FRY THE BREAD: Line a sheet pan with a wire rack and set aside.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add enough olive oil to coat the bottom of the pan with about a ⅛ inch of oil and heat until it shimmers. Carefully add the bread, working in batches, and fry until golden brown on both sides, about 2 minutes per side. Add more oil between batches as needed. Transfer the bread to the wire rack to cool.

DRESS THE TUNA: Remove the tuna from the fridge. Add the zest of half a lemon, the Calabrian chilies, chives, a pinch of flaky salt, and a generous glug of olive oil. Mix to combine, taste, and add more chilies if you want more heat.

Add a smear of aïoli to each toast and top with the tuna mixture. Finish with more lemon zest, and serve immediately.

If you want to make the aïoli in the food processor, you can —just double the recipe.

In a large bowl, whisk to thoroughly combine the egg yolk, garlic, and mustard. Whisking constantly, very slowly stream in the olive and vegetable oils. Continue whisking until the mixture has thickened and emulsified. Add the salt. Zest half of the lemon directly into the bowl, then halve the lemon and add the juice from 1 lemon half, or more to taste, and mix well. For a more acidic aïoli, add a splash of white wine vinegar. Store in an airtight container in the fridge until ready to use.

Notes

Think of this as Japanese spicy tuna crispy rice that went on a luxurious coastal Italian vacation. The tuna is diced and tossed with Calabrian chilies and then heaped over a bright Lemon Aïoli. The real unsung hero is the bread, pan fried so it gets a golden crispy crust while maintaining a soft, pillowy interior. It's a showstopper, either as an appetizer or built into a meal by adding a side of greens.