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Tuna dip with parmesan grissini and cured veal

Australian Gourmet Traveller recipe for tuna dip with parmesan grissini and cured veal.

By Emma Knowles
  • 30 mins preparation
  • 25 mins cooking
  • Serves 10
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Tuna dip with parmesan grissini and cured veal
Break off a piece of grissini, wrap it in a piece of veal and dip away. Capers quickly fried in a little olive oil add another burst of flavour, as does a good squeeze of lemon.

Ingredients

  • 30 gm sea salt
  • 30 gm raw caster sugar
  • ¼ cup each coarsely chopped oregano and thyme
  • 2 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
  • 1 veal fillet (about 600gm), trimmed
  • 30 ml olive oil
  • To serve: crisp capers, coarsely torn flat-leaf parsley and lemon wedges
Parmesan grissini
  • 10 gm dried yeast
  • Pinch of caster sugar
  • 250 gm plain flour
  • 50 ml extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for brushing
  • 40 gm (½ cup) finely grated parmesan
Tuna dip
  • 200 gm piece of yellowfin tuna
  • 100 ml dry white wine
  • 3 thyme sprigs
  • 1 fresh bay leaf
  • 4 egg yolks
  • 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
  • 250 ml (1 cup) olive oil
  • 50 ml extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1½ lemons, finely grated rind and juice only, or to taste

Method

Main
  • 1
    For parmesan grissini, combine yeast, sugar and 150ml lukewarm water in a large bowl, cover and stand in a warm place until foamy (12-15 minutes). Add flour, olive oil and ½ tsp salt, mix to combine, turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth (3-5 minutes). Place in an oiled bowl, turn to coat, cover and stand in a warm place until doubled in size (30-40 minutes). Meanwhile, preheat oven to 180C. Roll walnut-sized balls of dough on a work surface with your hands to form long thin cylinders about the thickness of a pencil and place on lightly oiled oven trays, 1cm apart. Brush liberally with olive oil, scatter with parmesan, bake until golden (8-10 minutes). Cool to room temperature before serving. Makes about 30. Grissini will keep stored in an airtight container for 1-2 days.
  • 2
    Meanwhile, for tuna dip, combine tuna in a small saucepan with wine and herbs. Add enough water to just cover, bring to the simmer over low heat, remove from heat and cool to room temperature in poaching liquid. Drain, flake and transfer to a food processor. Add egg yolks and garlic, process until smooth, then, with motor running, add combined oils in a thin steady stream. Process until thick and smooth, add rind and juice, season to taste, process to combine. Makes about 500ml. Tuna dip will keep refrigerated in an airtight container for 2-3 days.
  • 3
    Combine salt, sugar, herbs and garlic in a bowl. Place veal in a non-reactive container, coat with herb mixture and refrigerate for 40 minutes to cure. Wipe off excess cure, rinse quickly and pat dry with absorbent paper. Heat oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat, add veal, brown well on all sides (5-6 minutes), then cool and wrap tightly in plastic wrap to form a cylinder. Freeze until just firm (1½-2 hours), then thinly slice across the grain and serve scattered with crisp capers and parsley, with lemon wedges, grissini and tuna dip.