Owner and chef of La Provence in San Francisco, Lionel LaFite, shares this easy recipe.
Ahi tuna tartare, eggplant caviar, citrus dressing
Ahi tuna - 10 oz
Eggplant - 3 each
Chives - 1 bunch
Chervil - 1 bunch
Shallots - 2 each
Garlic peeled - 6 gloves
Thyme - 1 bunch
Grapefruit - 1
Orange - 3
Lemon - 6
Sugar - 2 oz
Olive oil
Salt
Espelette pepper
Slice the eggplant in half, put olive oil, salt and thyme on it and cook it in the oven for about 50 min at 400degres.
Meanwhile confit the garlic in the oven for about 20 min .
Take the orange, grapefruit, 4 lemon and make a juice of it with a juicer.
Reduce it as a syrup with sugar and let cool it down.
Dice the ahi tuna like a 1/4 inch. Add to it shallots slice thin, the rest of the herb, lemon, espelette pepper and salt start a layer of eggplant with garlic and another layer of tuna tartare.
Put drizzle of the reduction .
About Lionel LaFite
It was back in the early 1980's where Lionel Lafite began is quest for the American dream. After he and his lovely wife, Graziella, left France for their honeymoon to the U.S., they finalized their trip in San Francisco where they soon fell in love with the city's culture.
With only two pieces of luggage, Lionel made use of his experience from the Institution of Drouan in Paris, France by working for a number of years at the once famous San Franciscan restaurant named Chez Michel. There he learned the art of hospitality and premiere customer service from master restaurateur Michel Elkaim.
Having a natural entrepreneurial personality, Lionel started a computer venture, where soon after he jumped into the cellular phone industry just prior to 1990's booming years.
In the meantime, Lionel never could quite let go of his passion of offering quality restaurant service. With much encouragement from his wife and family friends, in the spring of 2005 the idea of La Provence came reality. Today's philosophy at La Provence Restaurant could mistakenly be thought of as typical French food. Instead it offers more of a Californian cuisine flare to it, letting go of beef, and rich and heavy sauces. Fish, game, and lamb accompanied with fresh vegetable creations are consistently predominant on the mouth-watering menu. Being already highly rated in numerous reviews, including the Michelin Guide and Zagat Survey, La Provence is arguably one of the best restaurants in San Francisco. Bottom line, Lionel Lafite likes to keep it short when making a statement about his restaurant:
La Provence
1001 Guerrero Street
San Francisco, CA 94110
Website: www.laprovencerestaurant.net
