These have become one of Wolfgang Puck’s signature dishes. Seasoned with soy sauce, wasabi, Sriracha and mayonnaise, the tuna gets tucked into savory-sweet cones.
The cones are delicate, made from a tuile batter that needs to be quickly shaped onto a cone mold right out of the oven before it firms and crisps. If you don’t have cone molds, you can also shape them into cups over an inverted mini muffin tin, or bypass them entirely for store-bought crackers.
Total Time 1 ½ hours, plus at least 12 hours’ chilling
Serves about 20 cones
For the Tuile Cones
1 cup light corn syrup
½ cup/4 oz unsalted butter
2 tbsp white miso paste
1 tbsp sesame oil
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp black pepper
½ cup all-purpose flour
½ cup sesame seeds (¼ cup black; ¼ cup white)
1 tbsp ground ginger
For the Tuna Tartare
¼ cup mayonnaise
4 tsp Sriracha
4 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp wasabi paste
8 oz sushi-grade tuna, cut into ¼-inch cubes
2 tbsp chopped pickled ginger
2 tsp minced scallions
For the Garnish
Daikon sprouts or other microgreens (optional)
Minced scallions
Masago or tobiko roe (optional)
Pickled ginger, chopped
Bonito flakes
In a medium saucepan, melt the corn syrup and butter over medium heat, stirring to combine. Be very careful not to let the mixture boil. Remove from the heat and whisk in miso paste, sesame oil, salt and pepper. Sift in the flour, stirring continuously. Stir in the sesame seeds and ginger. Let the batter cool, then refrigerate it for at least 12 hours, allowing it to rest and chill.
When ready to bake the tuiles, heat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a 13-by-18-inch baking sheet with a nonstick silicone baking mat or parchment paper.
Working in batches, spoon the tuile mixture in 1-tablespoon portions onto the baking mat, leaving about 3 inches of space between each, then bake until light brown all the way from the edge to the center, about 10 minutes. (You might want to start with just 6 tuiles per sheet, since they firm up quickly after baking and need to be shaped into cones or cups while still warm.)
Working quickly, remove the tuiles from the baking sheets one at a time; form them into miniature cones using a cone mold or form into small cups by setting each piece over the cup of an inverted mini muffin tin. Let cool completely, about 5 minutes. Repeat with remaining tuile batter.
While the cones cool, prepare the tuna tartare: In a large bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, Sriracha, soy sauce and wasabi paste. Add the tuna, pickled ginger and scallions, and gently fold to combine.
Place daikon sprouts inside the cooled tuile cones, stem side first, if using.
Spoon tuna tartare inside cones. To garnish, place minced scallions, roe (if using), pickled ginger and bonito flakes on top of tuna. Serve immediately.
Provencal tuna and olive spread (Thoionade)
Recipe c/o Patricia Wells “The Provence Cookbook”
This is the easiest dip to make and one that can be made up to a week in advance and kept in the fridge, covered.
I bought the Nyons olives and the tuna on Amazon, which made life much easier. Please make sure you get a really good-quality and flavorful brand of tuna in oil. The one I love for the best flavor is this Spanish one…
1 cup best quality French brine-cured black olives (such as Nyons), pitted
2 tbsp capers in vinegar, drained
2 tbsp dry red wine
2 plump cloves garlic, peeled and roughly chopped
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
One 7 ounce can best-quality tuna in olive oil (do not drain)
1 to 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, as necessary
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice, to taste.
In the bowl of a food processor, combine all of the ingredients except the lemon juice.
Process to form a thick paste, adding additional oil and the lemon juice if necessary to form a smooth puree. Taste for seasoning.
The spread can be stored, covered and refrigerated, for up to one week.
NOTE: Along the same lines, prepare a more pungent sardine-based spread, or sardinade, substituting a 3-1/2 ounce can of best-quality sardines cured in olive oil for the canned tuna.