"Recipes from the Chef's Kitchen"

Ristorante Tosca
- 

1112 'F' Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20004
202-367-1990

Chef/Proprietor - Cesare Lanfranconi

"Spiced' Tuna Carpaccio with a
Potato-Olive Salad and Caper Sauce

Ingredients:
1)   8 oz. Tuna Loin - small
2)   1 stem of fresh Rosemary - chopped fine
3)   1 stem of fresh Thyme - chopped fine
4)   2 bay leaves fresh or dry - chopped fine
5)   1 tsp. Fennel Seeds Powder
6)   1 tsp. Black Peppercorn - crushed
7)   Salt to taste
8)   3 tsp. Olive Oil
9)   2 Yukon Gold Potatoes, 1/2 inch - diced and boiled
10) 1 oz. pitted Black Olives - chopped
11) 1 oz. pitted Ligurian Olives - chopped
12) 1 Plum Tomato diced 1/2 inch square
13) 2 oz. Salted Capers soaked in fresh water for 24 hours
14) 1 Lemon - the juice
15) 1 Garlic Clove roasted, "smashed"
16) 12 Basil Leaves, cleaned - chopped
17) 1 tsp. fresh Chives - chopped

Preparation:
For the Tuna...
1)   Mix the chopped herbs, fennel powder, black peppercorn
       and salt.  Place in a flat surface; pressing gently "roll" the
       tuna loin in the spice mix to obtain almost a crust.
2)   In a preheated non-stick saute pan add 1 oz. of olive oil
       and sear the tuna loin evenly around for 3-4 minutes. Then
       place in a tray and cool immediately in the refrigerator,
       in order to prevent the loin from continuing to cook.

For the Potato Salad...
1)   In a mixing bowl, add potato...basil...olives...and tomato
       seasoning to taste.

For the Caper Sauce...
1)   Place capers, oil, and lemon juice in a blender and emulsify.
       Add chopped chive and season to taste.

Serving:
Serve the thin sliced tuna in a dish, garnish with the potato-olive
salad...and drizzle with caper dressing.

Zucchini Blossom stuffed with
Crab Meat and Roasted Peppers

Ingredients:
1)   8 oz. Jumbo Lump Crabmeat - cleaned
2)   8 large Zucchini Blossoms
3)   2 Plum Tomatoes - deseeded and diced 1/4 inch
4)   1 tbs. Mayonnaise
5)   1 Garlic Clove - roasted
6)   12 Basil Leaves - cleaned
7)   1 tsp. chopped Parsley
8)   3 tbs. Olive Oil
9)   1 small Red Bell Pepper  - roasted and diced
10) Salt and Pepper to taste
11) 1 cup Mesclun Mix Lettuce

Preparation:
1)   Prepare the zucchini blossom by removing the inside
       stem and the outside "little wings", paying attention
       not to break the flower.
2)   Prepare the stuffing mixing the crabmeat, diced tomato,
       diced roasted peppers, parsley, mayonnaise.  Then add
       smashed roasted garlic clove.  Season to taste, mix well,
       and very gently stuff the zucchini blossom.
3)   In a blender, puree the basil leaves with 3 tbs. of olive
       oil and use for garnish.
4)   In a non-stick saute pan, cook the blossom for 2-3
       minutes on each side at medium heat or until lightly
       caramelized.
5)   Serve hot or cold, garnish with the mesclun mix salad,
       and drizzle with basil oil.

Buon Appetito

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