Sugar-cured tuna with warm potato pancakes

Name: Sugar-cured tuna with warm potato pancakes
Cook time: 1 h
Yield: 4
Ingredients: For the tuna; 30g granulated sugar; 30g coarse sea salt; 1/2 tsp peppercorns, crushed; 1 tsp pink peppercorns, crushed plus; 1 tsp extra for serving (optional); 1 tsp coriander seeds, crushed; 2 x 250g fresh tuna steaks; For the horseradish cream; 1 tbsp prepared horseradish; 4 tbsp creme fraiche or thick yoghurt; For the pancakes; 1 large egg, beaten; sea salt and black pepper; 500g cold cooked potatoes, mashed; 100ml milk, warmed; 60g plain flour, sifted; 1 tbsp butter; 1 tbsp oil for frying; 2 tbsp spring onions or chives, chopped

Jill Dupleix

October 18, 2011

Sugar-cured tuna with warm potato pancakesMarina Oliphant

Time:30 mins - 1 hourServes:4

By starting a day ahead, you can spend your next dinner party with your guests rather than chained to the stove. Tuna responds differently to a salt-sugar cure than does salmon, becoming firmer, a little waxy, and quite delicious. This sugar-cured tuna could be served on toasted pumpernickel bread or with an avocado salad instead of on warm potato pancakes, or could be swapped for some bought smoked salmon.

Ingredients

For the tuna
30g granulated sugar
30g coarse sea salt
1/2 tsp peppercorns, crushed
1 tsp pink peppercorns, crushed plus
1 tsp extra for serving (optional)
1 tsp coriander seeds, crushed
2 x 250g fresh tuna steaks
For the horseradish cream
1 tbsp prepared horseradish
4 tbsp creme fraiche or thick yoghurt
For the pancakes
1 large egg, beaten
sea salt and black pepper
500g cold cooked potatoes, mashed
100ml milk, warmed
60g plain flour, sifted
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp oil for frying
2 tbsp spring onions or chives, chopped

Method

For the tuna (prepare a day ahead)
Mix the sugar, salt, pepper, pink peppercorns and coriander seeds and place on a large sheet of clingfilm.
Coat the tuna steaks in the mixture, then sandwich remaining mixture between them and wrap tightly in the clingfilm.
Place on a plate and refrigerate for 24 hours.
Unwrap, rinse the tuna and pat dry.
For the horseradish cream: Fold horseradish into the creme fraiche, season well and set aside.
For the pancakes: Beat the egg, sea salt and pepper into the cold mashed potato. Fold in the milk, then the flour, until you have a thick batter that will slide off a spoon.
Heat the butter and oil in a frying pan. Add the batter by the tablespoonful and cook for 2 minutes over moderate heat until golden. Gently turn with an egg slice, and cook for 2 minutes until firm to the touch.
To serve: Finely slice the sugar-cured tuna and pile on top of the pancakes. Add a dollop of horseradish cream, and scatter with spring onions and pink peppercorns.

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