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Confit tuna with white beans, celery and radicchio

Australian Gourmet Traveller recipe for confit tuna with white beans, celery and radicchio.

By Rodney Dunn
  • 40 mins preparation
  • 1 hr 30 mins cooking plus salting
  • Serves 6
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Confit tuna with white beans, celery and radicchio
If canned tuna just doesn't cut it for you try this - technically similar but worlds apart on the flavour front. The tuna and beans are stored in the flavoured oil, where they last for weeks, ready to drain and mix with salad leaves for a quick meal. You'll need to begin this recipe a day ahead to salt the fish and soak the beans.

Ingredients

  • 900 kg skinless yellowfin tuna, cut into 5cm cubes
  • 2 fresh bay leaves
  • 2 tarragon sprigs
  • 1 tbsp fennel seeds
  • 1 tbsp white peppercorns
  • 1 star anise
  • Thinly peeled rind of 1 orange
  • 1 tbsp coarse sea salt
  • 400 gm dried cannellini beans, soaked overnight in cold water (2 cups)
  • 1.5 litres mild-flavoured extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 Spanish onion, thinly shaved
  • 3 celery stalks, finely diced
  • ½ radicchio, coarsely torn
  • 1 cup (firmly packed) young celery leaves
  • 1 cup (firmly packed) flat-leaf parsley leaves
  • To taste: aged red wine vinegar

Method

Main
  • 1
    Combine tuna in a large non-reactive roasting pan with the herbs, spices, rind and salt, mixing well, then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
  • 2
    Preheat oven to 80C (or lowest setting). Drain beans, add to tuna, pour in enough oil to cover tuna, then cover pan with non-stick baking paper and foil. Cook until beans are tender and tuna is cooked through (1½ hours), cool to room temperature, then refrigerate.
  • 3
    To serve, remove tuna and beans from oil with a slotted spoon and place in a large bowl. Add onion, celery, radicchio, celery leaves and parsley and season to taste. Drizzle with vinegar and more confit oil if required, toss to combine and serve.