Kitchen Curious: Italian tuna condiment tonnato is unexpectedly tasty wine pairing
There’s something special about sharing a bottle of wine. Pouring some for you, some for me. A little while later: a bit more for you, a bit more for me. The picture is incomplete, though, without a plate of noshes to keep our mouths busy between sips and gossip.
Cheese and charcuterie are common nibbles with wine. Not so, tonnato — which is why I perked up when I eyed it on the menu at Hazel Jane's, a new vino bar on the Eastside Beltline.
Tonnato is an Italian condiment typically made with tuna, anchovies, lemon juice, olive oil and mayonnaise. The flavor is much like tuna salad, but the texture is far from it. It’s super smooth and creamy, making it a fabulous sandwich spread or dip.
<<REVIEW: Hazel Jane's allows you to try wines of the world on the Beltline
“We wanted an easy-to-eat, dippable thing. Everyone does hummus and pimento cheese. Let’s do something outside the box,” Hazel Jane’s partner and sommelier Melissa Davis said about the decision to put tonnato on the menu.
Hazel Jane’s chef Brad Morris starts with yellowfin tuna to prepare tuna confit that is then blended with salt, mayo, olive oil and lemon juice. However, home cooks can skip the tuna confit step and keep things simple with a jar of tuna packed in olive oil.
The restaurant serves the dip with crunchy seasonal crudités — currently carrots, kohlrabi, watermelon radishes and purple cauliflower — and toasted sourdough from local Root Baking Co. (The plate also comes with a ramekin of silky whipped ricotta, a recipe that Hazel Jane’s also shared.)
Which bottle to uncork for the occasion?
“Anything bright and easy,” Davis said.
At the restaurant, the dip is intended to highlight a bright white wine, such as the restaurant’s house, a sauvignon blanc-vermentino blend from southern France. Davis also recommends elbling, a white grape variety mainly grown in Germany and Luxembourg that results in a crisp, dry wine. If you’re looking to appeal to the masses, consider a pinot grigio, a light rosé from the Provence region of southern France or a bottle of Beaujolais nouveau for the red drinkers.
- 8 ounces tuna packed in olive oil (preferably Ortiz brand)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup Duke’s mayonnaise
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- Add the tuna and salt to a food processor and pulse a few times to combine. Add the mayonnaise and the lemon juice and pulse again. With the processor running, add the olive oil in a slow drizzle. The goal is a smooth, creamy texture. If the tonnato is too thick or chunky, add a touch more lemon juice. If it is too runny, add more olive oil. Adjust salt to taste, if necessary. Tonnato will keep up to 3 days when stored in the refrigerator in a lidded container. Serves 10.
Nutritional information
Per serving: Per serving: 149 calories (percent of calories from fat, 81), 7 grams protein, trace carbohydrates, trace fiber, 14 grams fat (2 grams saturated), 6 milligrams cholesterol, 165 milligrams sodium.- 1 1/2 cups ricotta
- 1 cup heavy cream
- Pinch salt
- 2 egg whites
- Add the ricotta to a food processor and blend until smooth. Transfer to a large mixing bowl and set aside.
- In a separate bowl, combine the heavy cream and salt, and whip until stiff peaks form. Gently fold the heavy cream into the ricotta.
- In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Gently fold into the ricotta-heavy cream mixture. The whipped ricotta should have a mousse-like texture, and be creamy and spreadable. It will keep up to 3 days when stored in the refrigerator in a lidded container. Serves 10.
Nutritional information
Per serving: Per serving: 150 calories (percent of calories from fat, 81), 5 grams protein, 2 grams carbohydrates, trace fiber, 14 grams fat (9 grams saturated), 51 milligrams cholesterol, 64 milligrams sodium.RELATED:
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About the Author
Ligaya Figueras is the AJC's senior editor for Food & Dining. Prior to joining the AJC in 2015, she was the executive editor for St. Louis-based culinary magazine Sauce. She has worked in the publishing industry since 1999 and holds degrees from St. Louis University and the University of Michigan.
