Yield: 12 spoons

Ingredients:

Tartar:

• 3 ounces Spanish Blue Fin Tuna Belly
• 1 bunch chives
• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• 1 Meyer lemon, juice and zest
• Salt and white pepper, to taste
• ½ ounce Golden Oscetra caviar
  
  “Cuit” Cauliflower Mouseline:
• 1 head cauliflower
• 2 Tablespoons crème fraiche
• Squeeze lemon juice
• 2 Tablespoons butter
• Salt and pepper, to taste
  
  “Cru” Marinated Cauliflower:
• 1 floret purple cauliflower
• 1 floret Romanesco
• 1 floret yellow cauliflower
• Olive oil, to taste
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• Champagne vinegar, to taste
• 1 Tablespoon baby purple shiso
  
  To Assemble:
• 1 sheet Espelette croquant
  

Method:
For the Tartar:
Place fresh tuna belly in freezer or blast chiller for about 20 minutes before handling to chill the fat and make it easier to handle. Cut a brunoise and put in a small mixing bowl with ½ Tablespoon of finely sliced chives a drizzle of olive oil, meyer lemon zest, a few drops of juice, salt, white pepper and ¾ of the caviar. Gently fold together being careful not to pop the eggs of caviar. Hold on ice till time of plate up.

For the “Cuit” Cauliflower Mouseline:
Take half the head of Cauliflower and cut into medium size florets; reserve the rest for garnish. Cook the cauliflower in boiling salted water till very tender. Drain excess water and then pulse the cauliflower in a blender with crème fraiche, a squeeze of lemon juice, butter, salt and pepper. Puree till silky smooth then pass through a fine sieve. Chill and then reserve for plate up.

For the “Cru” Marinated Cauliflower:
Take reserved white cauliflower, purple, green and yellow florets and trim to small pieces, almost to the size of a peppercorn. Place in a small bowl and drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper, and a teaspoon of champagne vinegar. Pick the baby shiso and toss in with the cauliflowers.

To Assemble:
Pipe small amount of Cauliflower Mousseline onto each spoon. Using two teaspoons, quenelle the tartar and place on a transfer tray or a plate. When quenelles are complete break pieces of croquant to fit the quenelles perfectly and place on the tuna. Flash under salamander or use a torch to quickly melt the croquant, being extremely careful not to heat the tuna. Place tartar-croquant on top of the mousseline and garnish with the marinated cauliflower.

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