Name: Tuna carpaccio “la zingara”
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 400 gm piece of sashimi-grade tuna loin; 1 Roma tomato, finely diced; ½ Lebanese cucumber, finely diced; 1 tbsp vegetable oil; 1 avocado, coarsely chopped; Juice of 1 lime; For brushing: olive oil; To serve: vincotto; 1 tsp finely grated bottarga, optional, to serve (see note); To serve: sesame seeds and baby basil; Spice mix; 2 star anise; 1¼ tsp black peppercorns; 1 tsp cardamom pods; ½ tsp coriander seeds; ¼ tsp fennel seeds; Green chilli paste; 1 tbsp coriander seeds; 1 tsp cumin seeds; 1 cup each baby spinach leaves and flat-leaf parsley (firmly packed); 50 ml lemon-infused olive oil; 2 long green chillies, seeds removed, finely chopped; 1 garlic clove, finely chopped

“I celebrated my birthday at Melbourne’s Mezzo Bar & Grill and the tuna carpaccio was special. Would chef Joseph Vargetto share the recipe?”

Aimee Glenn, St Kilda, Vic

To request a recipe, write to Fare Exchange, , GPO Box 4088, Sydney, NSW 2001, or email us. All requests should include the restaurant’s name and address or business card, as well as your name and address.

Ingredients

400 gm piece of sashimi-grade tuna loin

1 Roma tomato, finely diced

½ Lebanese cucumber, finely diced

1 tbsp vegetable oil

1 avocado, coarsely chopped

Juice of 1 lime

For brushing: olive oil

To serve: vincotto

1 tsp finely grated bottarga, optional, to serve (see note)

To serve: sesame seeds and baby basil

Spice mix

2 star anise

1¼ tsp black peppercorns

1 tsp cardamom pods

½ tsp coriander seeds

¼ tsp fennel seeds

Green chilli paste

1 tbsp coriander seeds

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 cup each baby spinach leaves and flat-leaf parsley (firmly packed)

50 ml lemon-infused olive oil

2 long green chillies, seeds removed, finely chopped

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

Method

Main

1.For spice mix, combine ingredients in a spice grinder or mortar and pestle and finely crush, then set aside.

2.For green chilli paste, dry-roast coriander seeds and cumin seeds until fragrant (30 seconds-1 minute), process with remaining ingredients in a food processor until smooth. Paste will keep refrigerated for 5 days in an airtight container.

3.Trim tuna to a 5cm square (reserve trimmings) and refrigerate until required. Finely dice trimmings and combine in a bowl with tomato and cucumber, add chilli paste to taste, season to taste, then refrigerate until required.

4.Roll tuna loin in spice mix, pressing to coat. Heat vegetable oil in a frying pan over high heat, then sear tuna (10-20 seconds each side). Remove from heat, cool, wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate until cold.

5.Meanwhile, process avocado and lime juice in a food processor until smooth, season to taste and refrigerate until required.

6.Divide avocado purée among plates. Thinly slice tuna, brush with olive oil, season to taste. Arrange tuna on avocado, overlapping slices slightly and placing a little tuna mixture between slices. Drizzle with vincotto to taste, scatter with bottarga, sesame seeds and basil and serve.

Bottarga is available from select delicatessens and fish mongers.
This recipe is from the December 2010 issue of
.
Notes

Joseph Vargetto

Styling by Geraldine Muñoz

Ingredients

Method

Main

Related stories