Tuna lasagne

TUNA LASAGNE

Now, the thought of this might make you cringe but, trust me, this is one recipe you’ll want to cook again and again. The texture and appearance of the tuna mince will have you second guessing whether it is actually fish and will certainly break you out of the chicken/veal/pork loop. It should also be noted that I don’t expect anyone to be mincing down sashimi-grade yellowfin tuna belly or the centre cut of a potential tuna steak here – instead, you’re looking to use the sinew-heavy area or scrappy chunks that come away from behind the tuna head at the top of the loin, along with any tail cuts and scrapings from the frame of the fish. These are the bits that often get tossed away at the markets because of a perceived lack of customer interest, so it’s great to find a good use for them. Ask your fishmonger or market vendor for them next time you’re shopping.

SERVES 4

8 dried lasagne sheets

100 g (1 cup) finely grated parmesan

50 g (1/3 cup) finely grated mozzarella

Ragù

½ bunch of thyme

1 fresh bay leaf

1 teaspoon black peppercorns, toasted

1 star anise

300 ml grapeseed oil

3 garlic cloves, finely grated

sea salt flakes and freshly cracked black pepper

1 large onion, finely diced

1 large carrot, finely diced

1 small fennel bulb, finely diced

1 teaspoon tomato paste

150 ml red wine

200 g tinned peeled tomatoes, crushed

250 ml (1 cup) water

250 g minced yellowfin tuna

Béchamel

500 ml (2 cups) full-cream milk

1 parmesan rind

50 g butter

50 g (1/3 cup) plain flour

freshly grated nutmeg, to taste

sea salt flakes and freshly cracked black pepper

To make the ragù, tie the thyme, bay leaf, peppercorns and star anise in a piece of muslin to make a bouquet garni. Heat 150 ml of the grapeseed oil in a large heavy-based frying pan over a medium heat, add the garlic and a pinch of salt and sauté for 30 seconds. Add the onion and another pinch of salt and cook for 10 minutes, or until the onion is translucent and just beginning to colour. Add the carrot, fennel and another good pinch of salt and cook for a further 10 minutes until softened, stirring every few minutes to ensure nothing sticks to the base and burns. Stir in the tomato paste and fry for 2 minutes, then add the bouquet garni and red wine. Bring to a simmer and cook until reduced and thickened to a glaze consistency, about 10 minutes. Add the crushed tomato and water and bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to very low and simmer gently for 45 minutes, or until the sauce is thickened, reduced and fragrant. Season to taste with salt and pepper and set aside.

Heat 75 ml of the remaining oil in a cast-iron skillet or frying pan over a medium heat to a light haze. Add half the tuna and fry, stirring to separate the strands, until coloured. Season lightly with salt and pepper, then add to the tomato sauce. Repeat with the remaining oil and tuna, and stir everything well to combine. Leave to cool completely, then transfer to the fridge until you are ready to assemble the lasagne.

For the béchamel, place the milk and parmesan rind in a medium saucepan over a medium heat. Bring to a gentle simmer, then reduce the heat to low and keep warm for 20 minutes, to allow the flavour of the parmesan to infuse the milk.

Melt the butter in a separate saucepan over a medium heat. Add the flour and cook for 2 minutes, stirring with a wooden spoon to form a roux. Remove the parmesan rind from the milk, then gradually add to the roux, one-third at a time, whisking after each addition to create a smooth sauce. When you have incorporated all the milk, bring the sauce to the boil, then remove from the heat, stir in a little grated nutmeg and season to taste with salt and pepper. Closely cover the sauce with plastic wrap or baking paper to stop a skin forming, then refrigerate until completely cold.

Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F).

To assemble the lasagne, spoon a layer of the tuna ragù over the base of a 1.5 litre (51 fl oz/6 cup) baking dish. Cover with a layer of béchamel, then a layer of lasagne sheets. Repeat the process with the remaining ingredients, finishing with a layer of béchamel. Sprinkle over the grated cheeses in a generous blanket and cover with aluminium foil. Bake for 30 minutes, then remove the foil and cook for another 10 minutes until golden brown and bubbling on top, and the pasta is tender when tested with a skewer in the centre. Remove from the oven and rest for 10 minutes before serving, perhaps with a fresh salad of green leaves and herbs.

This is an edited extract from Take One Fish by Josh Niland, $55 (Hardie Grant Books).

Photography: Rob Palmer