START TO FINISH: 30 minutes
SERVINGS: 4
This recipe, inspired by chef Joshua McFadden of Ava Gene’s in Portland, Oregon, plays fast and loose with convention. Northern Italian tonnato—a silky, savory sauce made with tuna—typically is served with veal. But we like to balance the puree’s rich, meaty flavor with sweet snap peas and peppery radishes. Flaked tuna tops off the salad. Asian fish sauce may be a surprise ingredient, but just a couple teaspoons of it bolsters the flavor of the tuna.
Don’t use tuna packed in water. It lacks the flavor and richness of oil-packed tuna and has a drier, mealier texture.
Kosher salt and ground white pepper
1 pound sugar snap peas, trimmed and strings removed
Two 5-ounce cans olive oil–packed tuna, drained and flaked into bite-size pieces
7 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
2 tablespoons grated lemon zest, divided, plus 4 tablespoons lemon juice, divided
2 teaspoons fish sauce
¼ cup mayonnaise
1 bunch radishes, halved and thinly sliced
1 cup lightly packed fresh basil, torn if large
2 tablespoons poppy seeds
Fill a large bowl with ice water. In a large saucepan, bring 2 quarts water to a boil. Stir in 2 tablespoons salt and the snap peas. Cook until bright green and crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Drain, then immediately transfer to the ice water. Let stand until completely cooled, about 2 minutes, then drain again. Slice half the peas in half on the diagonal, then set aside.
In a small bowl, toss half (about ¾ cup) of the tuna with 2 tablespoons of oil, 1 tablespoon of lemon zest, 1 tablespoon of lemon juice, and ¼ teaspoon each salt and white pepper. Set aside.
In a blender, combine the remaining tuna, the remaining 1 tablespoon lemon zest, 1 tablespoon of the remaining lemon juice, ¼ teaspoon white pepper, the fish sauce and mayonnaise. Blend until a smooth paste forms, about 45 seconds, scraping the blender jar as needed. With the machine running, drizzle in 3 tablespoons of the remaining oil and blend until creamy and thick, about another 45 seconds. If needed, drizzle in up to 1 tablespoon water to achieve the proper consistency. Taste and season with salt and pepper, then set aside.
In a large bowl, toss together the peas, radishes, basil and poppy seeds. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons lemon juice, the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, and ¼ teaspoon each salt and white pepper. Toss well. On a serving platter, spread about ⅔ cup of the tuna sauce in an even layer. Top with the vegetables, then sprinkle with the flaked tuna. Serve with the remaining sauce on the side.