White Fish Milanese with Tonnato ft. Chef Gabe Branch at Gray's Hall
Making Tonnato from Tinned Tuna in Butter with our friend and cutiepie, Gabe!!
Today, we're making Chef Gabe Branch's version of tonnato, the classic Italian sauce that we can't stop eating (drinking?). We work with Chef Gabe at Gray's Hall; his food (and dollar oyster videos) is the ONLY reason we'd ever brave searching for street parking in Southie after 6pm, it’s just that good.
Generalizing here, but this is how we think of it; mayo uses eggs, aioli adds garlic, and tonnato adds poached tuna. In this spin on tonnato, Chef Gabe uses our luscious Tinned Tuna Belly in Butter. It's a rich can, but the best way to yield a good product is to start with good ingredients. So, a tuna mayo of sorts is what we're making. We're serving it with Whitefish Milanese and green beans sautéed in the reserved tuna butter from the tin. HELLO!
Q: What inspired you to become chef?
A: Call it a quarter life crisis. I was 22 and had just dropped out of painting school. I wanted to find something that I could figure out and pour my energy and passion into. I had worked "in pizza" for 7 years at mom and pop shops, and a good friend of mine who was a chef in San Francisco encouraged me to get a job cooking. I started as a dishwasher and took to the work in kitchens pretty quickly, and in about 4 years I was the opening CDC at another restaurant.
Q: Why cook?
A: Cooking is ultimately making something for other people. It feels good to make things for somebody else to enjoy.
Q: What inspires you in the kitchen?
A: You gotta eat good food to make good food. On days off I love to eat at Sarma in Somerville, Pammy’s in Cambridge. The most recent best bite I had was at one of Pao Thampitak's pop-ups. Also, feeding off the energy of your community, looking at dishes and thinking, "How would I do this? What would my take on this look like?"
White Fish Milanese with Tonnato ft. Chef Gabe Branch at Gray's Hall
Tonnato Recipe
1 tin Island Creek Tinned Tuna
1/4 tsp Capers
zest and juice of 1 Lemon
1 clove Garlic (grated)
1/4 Cup Canola Oil
1/2 tsp Dijon Mustard
1/4 Tbs Smoked Salt
1/2 -1 Cup Mayonnaise (optional)
Open your tin and separate the tuna from the butter. Save this butter to cook vegetables or grill bread.
Combine all ingredients in a food processor or blender.
Once the mixture has completely come together, roughly thirty seconds, slowly add your oil.
If choosing to add mayonnaise, add it to the mixture once the oil is fully incorporated.
Check for seasoning at the end, it's all about how you like things to taste!
If you make this ahead, it will keep in the fridge for up to 10 days.
Fried Whitefish
1 6oz portion Whitefish Filet, today we used Haddock
1/2 Cup AP Flour
2 Eggs (whisked)
1 Cup Panko Bread Crumbs
1 Tbs Kosher Salt
4 Tbs Hawaij Spice Blend (a mix of cumin, black pepper, turmeric and cardamom)
1 Tbs Sumac
1 Tbs Za' Atar
Clean your fish and ensure any and all bones are removed. Most Fish Markets will do this for you, but it never hurts to double check!
Next you'll want to combine your panko, salt, and spices.
"Hawaij is a Yemeni spice blend I find myself using in the restaurant constantly. It can be purchased online or call a local spice shop and see if they have something similar. In a pinch, garam masala or curry blends can be substituted for a similar profile." - Chef Gabe
Take your fish and lightly coat it in AP Flour.
After making sure it's coated, dip it into the whisked eggs.
Make sure the fish is completely coated in egg before placing it into your bread crumb mixture. Apply some pressure and make sure the fish is completely coated in the breading.
From here the fish can be pan fried, or baked in the oven. If you want the fish to be gluten-free substitute rice flour and gluten-free panko in the recipe.
Sautéed Green Beans
2 handfuls of fresh green beans
Reserved butter from the tin of tuna
Take the reserved butter from the tuna tin and heat it over medium in a small pan.
Add the green beans and sautée until al dente and cooked through.
To Serve - finally!
Add a heaping spoonful of the tonnato to your plate followed by the whitefish Milanese and green beans. Garnish with fresh herbs like dill or parsley, and serve with plenty of lemon wedges.