English Channel Bluefin Tuna

A stunning celebration of the sea from Ryan and Liam at Orwells Restaurant. English Channel bluefin tuna loin and belly is paired with tomatoes, smoked eel, lovage oil and toasted buckwheat, finished with a delicate tomato and eel liquor.

Ingredients

Bluefin & garnish

Bluefin tuna loin, trimmed – 240 g
Bluefin tuna belly, trimmed – 120 g
Smoked eel fillet – 100 g
Ripe heritage tomatoes – 350 g
Fine sea salt – as required
Rapeseed oil – as required
Lovage tips / small leaves – as required

Tomato-eel liquor

Very ripe red tomatoes – 1.5 kg
Fine sea salt – 12 g
Smoked eel skin / clean trim – 80 g
Kombu – 8 g
Chardonnay vinegar – 15-20 ml

Green tomato pickle

Firm green tomato – 200 g
Chardonnay vinegar – 100 ml
Water – 100 ml
Caster sugar – 40 g
Fine sea salt – 4 g

Lovage Oil

Fresh lovage leaves – 50 g
Rapeseed oil – 150 ml

Toasted buckwheat

Raw buckwheat groats – 60 g
Rapeseed oil – 8 g
Fine sea salt – 1 g

Method

Print Recipe

Tomato water: Blitz tomatoes with 12 g salt. Hang in double muslin at 0-3°C for 8-12 hours. Do not press. Reserve 500 ml clear tomato water.
Tomato-eel liquor: Warm 500 ml tomato water with eel trim and kombu at 55-60°C for 20 minutes. Do not boil. Strain, add 15-20 ml Chardonnay vinegar, season and chill.
Green tomato: Boil vinegar, water, sugar and salt. Cool fully. Add 2-3 mm tomato slices and pickle for at least 2 hours.
Lovage oil: Blanch lovage for 10 seconds; ice, squeeze dry, blend with oil to about 60°C, strain and chill.
Buckwheat: Toast at 170°C for 8-12 minutes until crisp. Toss with oil and salt; cool airtight.
Fish & eel: Warm the eel gently. Sear the loin hard on all faces, leaving the centre raw; slice 3 pieces per portion. Slice the belly raw, 3 pieces per portion, and temper only briefly at the pass.

Plating Up

Tuna loin – 60 g / 3 slices
Tuna belly – 30 g / 3 pieces
Ripe tomato – 60-70 g
Green tomato pickle – 2-3 slices
Smoked eel – 20-25 g
Toasted buckwheat – 6-8 g
Tomato-eel liquor – 30-35 ml
Lovage oil – 8-10 drops
Lovage tips and fine salt – as required

Plating sequence

Loin left; belly right. Place ripe tomatoes through the centre and green tomato next to the belly. Add eel and 2-3 small clusters of buckwheat. Pour the liquor around the fish; finish with lovage oil, tiny lovage leaves and fine salt.