PRESERVED TUNA & TOMATO OPEN PANINI

SERVES 4 Tuna cooked slowly in oil will flake apart in lovely large pieces. The tuna in this recipe is more than you need, but it’s wonderful flaked through salads or pasta. Alternatively, buy good tinned tuna in oil.

INGREDIENTS

8 thick slices olive bread

1 clove garlic, halved

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

PRESERVED TUNA

400g tuna fillet 300ml extra virgin olive oil 3 cloves garlic, halved Thinly peeled rind ½ lemon 3 sprigs thyme

BASIL OIL

200ml extra virgin olive oil

⅓ cup finely chopped basil

¼ cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley 1 small clove garlic, finely chopped Finely grated zest and juice ½ lemon

1 For preserved tuna, place tuna in a saucepan that fits the fillet 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 leave to 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 (reserve a little oil for drizzling bread).

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

3 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 flakes. Drizzle with basil oil, scatter with herbs and serve.