Creamy Tuna Spread, Originate Authenticity (Spuma di Tonno)

Creamy Tuna Spread, Originated Tuna Mouse (Spuma di Tonno)

Craving to add a culinary marvel to the world of foodies? Here's my take! The rave reviews came from none other than la Signora herself. After her first taste, it's one of the dishes she frequently requested. I perfected this dish at Albergo del Sole in Maleo, Italy, under the tutelage of Chef Franco. He preferred it with poached John Dory, but tuna in olive oil is a flavor bomb too! Serve it as a stylish starter, tasty snack, or sophisticated first course. The key ingredient is premium-quality tuna. European brands like A's Do Mar, Flott, Callipo, Ortiz, and even St. Jean's Cannery and La Belle Iloise are top picks. Since retail tuna packaging isn't standardized, I've included the amount of drained tuna needed.

Savor this delicacy with breadsticks, toasts, croutons, crackers, or celery stalks. Dress it up with a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil, radish slices, fleur de sel, piment d'espelette, Spanish pimenton, or a pinch of toasted and ground fennel seeds, a shaving of bottarga, or truffles. It's also great as a tuna sandwich.

Yield: About 1 1/2 cups

Ingredients (6)

1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
10 ounces drained Italian, Spanish, or Portuguese tuna packed in oil (about 2 cups)
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
2 tablespoons heavy cream

Instructions

Blend the soy sauce, vinegar, and lemon juice.
Break down the tuna in a food processor by pulsing, then running, until it's evenly chopped but not pureed. Add the liquid seasonings and process until the mixture is smooth. Pause the machine and scrape down the bowl to incorporate the un-incorporated tuna.
With the machine running, add the butter, piece by piece, adding the next only after each is incorporated. Be careful not to overmix. The butter should be combined with the tuna, but not whipped so much it melts because of the heat generated. Add the cream while pulsing, and as soon as it appears incorporated, basta-that's it. This will only take a few seconds.
Transfer the mousse to a bowl or storage container and chill. The mousse can be made up to 3 days ahead of serving. Remove it from the refrigerator 45 minutes before serving to soften.

This delicacy, perfected under Chef Franco's tutelage, is a tuna mousse, available in various quality European brands including A's Do Mar, Flott, Callipo, Ortiz, St. Jean's Cannery, and La Belle Iloise.
The dish, often requested by la Signora herself, is versatile, serving well as a starter, snack, or first course, and can be enjoyed with breadsticks, toasts, croutons, crackers, celery stalks, or even as a tuna sandwich.
With soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, fresh lemon juice, drained tuna, unsalted butter, heavy cream, and a food processor, you can follow the instructions to create approximately 1 1/2 cups of this delectable tuna mousse, fitting for any gastronomy enthusiast's collection of uncategorized recipes.
Nutrition-conscious individuals may appreciate that the mousse recipe provides no additional salt, leaving room for personal preferences in garnishes, such as fleur de sel, piment d'espelette, Spanish pimenton, or a pinch of toasted and ground fennel seeds.