Tuna rillettes is a spreadable appetizer that’s somewhere between pâté and tuna salad. It’s very simple to make and you can adjust the additions to suit your preference. This recipe, from Eric Ripert, features albacore and pungent dijon mustard spread on to crispy Melba toasts.
This post begins a 6 month adventure exploring Chef Eric Ripert’s recipes with the bloggers of I Heart Cooking Clubs. Chef Ripert is a French chef specializing in modern cuisine and seafood. His New York restaurant Le Bernardin is consistently ranked among the best restaurants in the world. You may have seen him on TV as a guest judge on Top Chef or Avec Eric available online.
He developed his rillettes recipe when the New York Times challenged him to come up with a plate made from ingredients found in Jack’s 99 Cent Store. He chose cans of albacore, a jar of dijon mustard, melba toasts and olive oil.
Use the best ingredients you have on hand to make your rillettes
I splurged on the premiere tuna available in Spain, bonito del norte. The large chunks of meat packed in olive oil make it perfect for a variety of applications. Melba toasts are also a popular ingredient. They come in all shapes and sizes. They’re more common than the crackers we’re used to in the US, in fact. To hold the tuna together I used a dijon mayonnaise blend that is still pungent but not as sharp as dijon alone.
You can use a fork to break up the tuna, but a food processor is the best choice. Pulse the ingredients until your mix is spreadable; it doesn’t have to be completely smooth. Dress your rillettes with some minced red onion and a drizzle of olive oil and serve with the melba toasts.
Ingredients
- 12 ounces good quality tuna like albacore, drained
- 3 - 4 generous tablespoons of dijon mustard and mayonnaise in a ratio that appeals to you
- extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 red onion finely minced
- salt and pepper to taste
- melba toasts toasted slices of baguette or your favorite crackers
Instructions
- Put the tuna in the food processor, breaking up any large chunks
- Add a couple spoonfuls of dijon and mayonnaise and pulse a few times.
- Scrape the sides and taste. Add more mayonnaise or dijon as desired. If you like the taste but need to smooth the mix, add a little olive oil.
- Season with salt and pepper
- Transfer to a bowl, top with the onion and a drizzle of olive oil
Notes
Tuna Rillettes Brings Back Memories
I served my rillettes with the melba toasts, a mixed pickle and beer. The flavor reminded me of the first time I had a fish pâté on the Camino Francés. I had just completed the camino that morning and spent an hour chatting with other pilgrims I’d met on the route while waiting to obtain my Compostela in Santiago. Hungry and thirsty, I found a little bar afterwards and ordered a beer. The bar didn’t have a kitchen but I noticed an assortment of pâtés in cans. After selecting the fish (I think it was sardines rather than tuna) I sat outside and enjoyed an ice cold Estrella Galicia, a bowl of olives and my rillettes. It’s hard to think of a better way to say hello to Chef Eric Ripert.
I will be sharing my post at I Heart Cooking Clubs. Be sure to drop by to see what the other bloggers have chosen as their opening Ripert recipe.
Next time when I find myself in a challenging situation to source inexpensive store-bought food or cans, I know how to do it. This is a fantastic trick.
What a fun recipe! Would never have thought of using tuna in a dish like this. You did a great job with it! Looking forward to your cooking adventure. 🙂
Thanks, John. I’ve made this with sardines, too (pinch the tails off, hahaha) but we prefer the tuna.