Roasted Nightshades With Albacore Tonnato & Sichuan Chili Oil
Savory, cool, and bursting with umami, tonnato is a sauce that goes great on just about anything you can throw it on. My version, made from Alaska Gold Seafood’s hook & line albacore tuna is the merfect balance of decadent and bright, and a great wait to turn a pile of veggies into the main attraction on a hot summer night. This dish has been years in the making (I do a vegan version of this with tahini sauce instead), and I can honestly say it slaps harder than a whale’s tail on a calm day. Oven roasted zucchini and eggplant get piled high on the plate before they are smothered with that albacore tonnato. Next comes a drizzle of Sichuan chili oil, followed by toasted pine nuts, fresh mint, lemon zest and a final dusting of flaky salt.
Tingredients:
• 1x tin Alaska Gold Seafood’s hook & line albacore tuna
• ½ cup mayonnaise
• zest + juice of 1 large lemon
• 2 oil-packed anchovies (Cantabrian if possible)
• 1 tbs capers
• ½ cup EVOO
• 1 tbs filtered water + more as needed
• kosher salt to taste
• 3 small to medium zucchini
• 1 small eggplant
• 2 tbs Sichuan chili oil
• 3 tbs toasted pine nuts
• 2 tbs fresh mint leaves
• flaky salt
• black pepper to taste
1. Pre-heat the oven to 425 degrees. Cut the stem from the zucchini and eggplant. Half the former lengthwise and lay rounded side down on a sheet pan. Cut the eggplant into similar thickness strips (1-2cm) and lay on the same sheet pan. Pour ¼ cup of EVOO into a small bowl and use a cooking brush to generously coat the veg in oil. The eggplant will want to soak it up, that’s okay. More is more here. Dust with salt and black pep. Flip and repeat. The zucch should roast skin side up to start. Pop em in the oven once its heated and set a timer for 15 minutes.
2. While the veg is roasting open Alaska Gold Seafood’s hook & line albacore tuna and ogle its beauty. Try a bite. Oh yeah. Dump the contints, liquid and all into a food processor or blender. Add the mayo, lemon juice, capers, remaining EVOO, tbs water, and a pinch of salt. Pulse until smooth. Taste and check the vibes. Now try not to keel over in fishbelief. We’re looking for the cansistency of a thick honey. Add more water 1 tbs at a time until you reach the desired effect. If it tastes under-seasoned you may add more salt but bear in mind this sauce will get saltier as it sits. The salt from the anchovy and the capers will slowly dissolve over time. Set aside.
3. At the fifteen-minute mark check the veg. They should starting to roast, and turning golden brown. If not, hit ‘em with five minute increments until they do. Once there, flip em with as fish spatula to not lose any of that good crusty fond on the pan. Return to oven for another 5-10 minutes until cooked through. Once cooked, remove from oven and let sit on top. You can do this well ahead of plating, the dish is as good bench temp as it is hot (arguably better).
4. To plate, crisscross a mix of the nightshades on a plate or platter, some skin side down and vice-verse. Spoon on a generous amount of that tonnato, then drizzle on the chili oil, smatter with pine nuts, and carefully lay on the hand-torn mint leaves. Finish with the lemon zest and a dusting of flaky salt. Serve immediately.
Canjoy!
Serves 3-4
(tonnato sauce keeps up to one week covered in fridge)
