Preserved tuna and tomato open-faced panini

SERVES 4 // PREP TIME 10 MINS // COOK 10 MINS (PLUS COOLING)

Tuna cooked slowly in oil has an incredible texture and it flakes apart in beautiful large pieces. The tuna here will be more than you need, but it’s excellent flaked through salads or pasta. As an alternative, buy good canned tuna in oil. Pictured p115. 8 thick slices olive bread 1 garlic clove, halved

2 ripe tomatoes, thickly sliced Basil and flat-leaf parsley, to serve

PRESERVED TUNA

400 gm tuna fillet

300 ml extra-virgin olive oil

3 garlic cloves, halved

Thinly peeled rind of ½ lemon 3 thyme sprigs

BASIL OIL

200 ml extra-virgin olive oil ⅓ cup finely chopped basil ¼ cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley

1 small garlic clove, finely chopped

Finely grated rind and juice of ½ lemon

1 For preserved tuna, place tuna 3 in a saucepan that fits it with just a little room around the sides. Add oil, garlic, lemon rind and thyme, bring to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes, then turn off heat and cool to room temperature. Transfer tuna and oil to a container, ensuring tuna is completely submerged, cover and refrigerate until needed (tuna will keep in oil for a week). Drain before using and break into coarse flakes.

2 For basil oil, combine ingredients in a bowl and season to taste.

Heat an oven grill to high. Drizzle bread with a little oil from the tuna, season to taste and toast both sides under the grill (1-2 minutes). Rub with the cut sides of garlic, then top with tomato slices and tuna, drizzle with basil oil, scatter with herbs and serve.