Tuna Confit

Directions

1. 1
   Place tuna in a bowl, cutting it into several pieces if necessary.
2. 2
   Add olive oil, the garlic, thyme and lemon peel.
3. 3
   Cover, and marinate 6 hours, refrigerated or at room temperature, or overnight in the refrigerator.
4. 4
   Transfer contents of bowl to a saucepan, bring to a simmer, lower heat and cook 5 minutes.
5. 5
   Shut off heat(tuna will still be pink in middle); let cool 30 minutes.
6. 6
   Remove tuna (reserving two tablespoons of the olive oil mixture), drain well, transfer to a bowl and mash coarsely with a fork.
7. 7
   Fold capers, shallots, mustard and sherry vinegar into tuna.
8. 8
   Whisk the 2 tablespoons of the olive oil with chicken stock and grape seed oil.
9. 9
   Fold into tuna.
10. 10
    Season with salt and pepper (mixture should be fairly loose).
11. 11
    To serve at once, place mounds of tuna on each of 6 salad plates, scatter with more capers and serve with toast/crostini, as a first course.
12. 12
    Otherwise, refrigerate tuna until 30 minutes before serving; then divide onto plates and serve.