RECIPE: TUNA CARPACCIO

Photo Credit: Nigel Parry

Tuna Carpaccio, also known as Le Bernardin’s ‘Pounded Tuna’, is a mainstay on the menu at the restaurant and has been presented through different interpretations through the years. That said, the star of this dish is always the fish — yellowfin tuna. Below is an excerpt from chef Ripert’s forthcoming, Seafood Simple, and a recipe for one of his most iconic dishes.

Tuna Carpaccio recipe from Seafood Simple

Serves 4

There are many different species of tuna available, including bluefin, bigeye, and yellowfin. The latter is best suited for a great carpaccio, whereas bluefin and bigeye tuna are better for cooking or for serving in bigger, thicker pieces. The texture of yellowfin tuna lends itself well to carpaccio because its lower fat content prevents it from becoming mushy, thus helping it keep its firmness during the pounding process. The tuna shouldn’t be too dark, but it shouldn’t have an unnaturally bright color, either. You should be looking for yellowfin with a hue between light pinkish and soft orange, with brown being an absolute no-no. Tuna that’s too red should also be avoided as that means there is too much blood, which, when served raw, will give it an unpleasant taste. 

Once you start to dress this dish, go very fast and serve it immediately, as the acidity of the lemon juice starts to cook the fish and change the flavor of the tuna. 

Ingredients:

4 pieces (4 ounces each) sushi-quality yellowfin tuna, cut ½ inch thick

Fine sea salt and freshly ground white pepper

4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 teaspoons thinly sliced fresh chives

1 lemon, halved and seeded

Toasted baguette slices for serving

Special Equipment

Flat meat pounder

Wide pastry brush

Directions:

1. Cover a work surface, such as a counter or table, with a large sheet of plastic wrap. Place 1 piece of tuna in the center and cover it with another large sheet of plastic. (See photos, page 24 and 25.)

2. Flatten the tuna with a meat pounder (or a heavy-bottomed saucepan), using a fluid motion that combines hitting the tuna in the centr and sliding the surve of the pounder over the fish, pressing it outward. Continue pounding and pressing out the tuna until it forms a very thin, even round, about 9 inches in diameter.

3. Place an 8-inch round plate, bowl, or cake pan to use as a cutting guide over the tuna (still keeping the fish covered with plastic) and use a sharp knife to cut through the tuna and both layers of plastics, resulting in an 8-inch round. Leave the plastic on the tuna and transfer to a sheet pan. Repeat with each portion of tuna. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. (The tuna can be pounded and cut up to a few hours ahead; cover the entire tray with plastic and refrigerate.)

4. When ready to serve, pull the top plastic sheet off one tuna round and place the tuna on the center of a large dinner plate, plastic side up. Remove the plastic from the top of the tuna. Repeat with the remaining 3 tuna rounds.

5. Season each round with salt and white pepper. Dip a wide pastry brush in the olive oil and coat each piece of tuna generously with oil. Sprinkle wach portion with the chives, then squeeze lemon juice over the top. Wipe the edge of each plate with a towel. Serve immediately, with the toasted baguette slices on a separate plate alongside.