Top | Fish and Seafood

Petits Bouchons au Thon

(recipe, Carrie Floyd)


primary-image, l

Introduction

Sylvie, my daughter's French host mother, served these to us for dinner this summer while we were in Paris. Bouchon means "cork," which describes the shape. Sylvie used a silicone mold, but you could also use a muffin tin or silicone cupcake forms. Here's her recipe, translated par moi. These are good at any temperature; serve with lemon wedges and mixed salad greens.

Ingredients

    Bouchons
    1. 5 oz. canned tuna, drained
    2. 2 Tbsp. tomato paste
    3. ¼ cup crème fraîche
    4. ½ cup finely grated Gruyère cheese
    5. 3 eggs
    6. 2 Tbsp. chopped parsley
    7. ¼ chopped onion
    8. Salt and pepper to taste
    For serving
    1. Salad greens (about 4 cups)
    2. 1 lemon, cut into wedges

    Steps

    1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
    2. Place the drained tuna, tomato paste, crème fraîche, cheese, eggs, parsley, onion, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl or beaker. With a hand-held immersion blender, blend the ingredients until smooth, about 10 seconds. (You could also stir the ingredients with a fork or spoon, but the overall texture will not be as smooth.)
    3. Spray or grease 8 muffin rounds, then fill about two-thirds full with batter. Bake for 20 to 22 minutes, or until set; the sides and tops will be firm, and a toothpick inserted into the middle of one will come out clean.
    4. Cool the bouchons for 3 to 5 minutes, then loosen from molds, using a knife to go around the edges if necessary.
    5. To serve: Divide the salad greens between four plates, place one or two bouchons on each plate, and garnish with lemon wedges.