Albacore Tuna Tartare in the “French Steak” Style
By many accounts, Restaurant Le Duc was the first in Paris to serve Nouvelle raw fish beginning around 1975, including salmon tartare and tuna tartare. In 1984 at Chaya Brasserie in Beverly Hills, Chef Shigefumi Tachibe put tuna tartare on the map. But STEAK tartare appeared in bistros long before, as early as the late 19th century in France.
This Parisian version of tuna tartare has none of the current popular ingredients – no avocado, no sesame oil, no ginger, no soy sauce. It is prepared in the old style of French Steak Tartare with classic components including onion, capers, pickles, and egg.
The sauce is a combination of mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, and Worcestershire sauce. Instead of the standard raw egg yolk, a hard boiled egg yolk is pressed through a course mesh sieve to make a rich fluffy addition to the condiments.
Sushi-quality raw albacore tuna has a soft, buttery texture and mild flavor. The meat of albacore tuna species is white or pale pink in color. Albacore is simply lovely in this Parisian style first course, which is equally stellar as a happy hour appetizer with a glass of Rosé…
Parisian Tuna Tartare Recipe
Albacore
- sushi-quality raw albacore tuna
- high-quality olive oil
- sea salt and fresh ground black pepper
Cut albacore into small cubes. Toss with olive oil, salt and pepper. Refrigerate while preparing the other ingredients.
Tartare Style Sauce
- 2 T. mayonnaise
- 1 t. dijon mustard
- 1 t. worcestershire sauce
Combine ingredients in a small bowl. Refrigerate while preparing the other ingredients.
Condiments
- white onion – very finely diced
- capers – drained
- cornichons, gerkins, or cucumber pickles – finely chopped
- hard cooked egg yolk – sieved
- chives – finely chopped
Buttered Croutons
- thin-sliced french bread, buttered and toasted
Place seasoned albacore into small round serving vessels. Arrange condiments around the perimeter. Place a dollop of sauce in the middle.
Serve with buttered croutons and lemon wedges. A French rosé is nice too.
Have guests mix up the albacore with condiments then enjoy on buttered croutons.
More Albacore
Seared Albacore, Peppercorn Brandy Cream Flambé here
Seared Albacore, Roasted Mushrooms, Demi-Glace here
More Croutons
Cream of Pea Soup, Goat Cheese Flower Crouton here