Tuna, freshly harvested from the waters off the southwest and the French and Spanish Basque coast, is in the market. It’s something of a rarity – normally, fresh tuna here hails from the Indian Ocean. Not exactly local. So, I’m taking advantage of the season to show you how to make one of my favorite dishes. It’s a riff on a classic French dish, Chicken with Forty Garlic cloves, though there is no chicken, nor as many cloves! In any case, you’ll love it! And the wonderful dishes that go with it, which we’re going to play with and decide together which is the best way to serve them.
Get the Recipes:
(Click on the name to open the recipe)
Suggestions for completing the menu:
If you’ve got late season radishes available, grab some. They might be tangy, but they’ll have that wonderful radish crunch. Dip them in olive oil then fleur de sel, for a little change. As for dessert, I want to suggest something so simple but, if it’s served in a beautiful dish your guests will love it: the finest yogurt you can find (you know I love sheep’s milk, but a really wonderful Greek or Armenian yogurt works perfectly), put in a champagne coupe or other fancy little number, and drowned with your favorite honey. That’s it. When you serve it, tell your guests not to mix the two together, but to taste them spoonful by spoonful. If you want to serve cookies alongside (leftover pâte sucrée that you made last class?), you can, but you don’t have to.
Wine suggestion:
You can try a deep flavored red here, from the Languedoc or the Côtes de Rhône. The food is elegant, the wine is elegant, it’s a natural combination.
INGREDIENT/SHOPPING LIST
PRODUCE:
1-1/2 pounds (750g) squash, preferably kuri or butternut
1 big bunch flat leaf parsley
4 fresh sage leaves
19 large cloves garlic, unpeeled
½ cup (5g) flat leaf parsley leaves
2 pounds (1kg) fresh spinach leaves
1 lemon
MEAT/FISH: there is NONE
4 tuna steaks, preferably albacore (4 to 8 ounces; 120-250g) each, cut 1-inch (2.5cm) thick
DAIRY:
MISCELLANEOUS AND STAPLES:
5 tablespoons (75 g) goose or duck fat (may substitute olive oil)
3 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons olive oil
1 cup (250ml) dry white wine
Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 baguette
