Ask your fishmonger to cut a slice in the fish, just after the belly part. Rinse it and pat it dry. Sprinkle it with coarse salt and pepper and let it macerate for 1 hour.
At the end of this time, rinse the tuna, pat it dry and put it in a casserole that can just hold it. Cover with oil – you will need more or less 2 dl – add the unpeeled garlic cloves, bay leaf, cloves, nutmeg and chillies.
Place the casserole on low heat and, as soon as the oil simmers, cover halfway and cook for 4 hours at a low simmer. Serve without removing the garlic cloves.
– You can crush the pulp of the garlic cloves and incorporate a little tuna cooking oil and a few pinches of grated nutmeg:you will thus obtain a flavored cream that you taste with the tuna, as it is or spread on slices of toasted country bread.
– This tuna is excellent hot, warm or cold. It can be kept for several days in the refrigerator, in its oil with its herbs.
A recipe from the Scotto sisters – La cuisine des parfums
