Recipe: Salad of yellowfin tuna confit with cannellini beans

Total time: About 1 hour

Servings: 12 as an appetizer

Note: From chef D.J. Olsen of Lou wine bar. You can substitute albacore tuna for the yellowfin if not readily available. Additionally, you can substitute regular lemons for the Meyer lemons; just halve the amounts of zest and juice.

1 pound yellowfin tuna fillet, cut 1 1/2 to 2 inches thick

Salt and pepper

4 fresh bay leaves

1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns

2 chiles de arbol

Zest of 2 Meyer lemons,

divided

3 cups olive oil, divided

1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

1 large red onion, julienned

1 bunch parsley, minced

Juice of 1 Meyer lemon

1. Season the tuna liberally with salt and pepper. Put the bay leaves, peppercorns, chiles and the zest of one lemon in a saucepan, and place the tuna on top.

2. Cover the tuna with 2 cups of the olive oil and heat over the lowest possible heat until the tuna begins to turn opaque and small bubbles just start to form on the surface, about 30 to 35 minutes. Remove from the heat and cool to room temperature. The tuna prepared to this point can be stored for several days in the refrigerator.

3. Remove the tuna confit from the oil (you can reserve oil for the next time you make tuna confit). Flake the tuna into a bowl. Add the beans, red onion, parsley and the remaining lemon zest, and toss lightly. Add the remaining olive oil, juice of the lemon, and salt and pepper to taste.

Each serving: 103 calories; 11 grams protein; 6 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram fiber; 4 grams fat; 1 gram saturated fat; 17 mg. cholesterol; 116 mg. sodium.