CHEESE CROQUETTES Recipe

Prepare tuna

Trim any sinew from the yellowfin tuna and dice into 5 mm (1/4 inch) cubes. Keep tuna chilled until assembly.

Mix tartare

In a bowl, combine minced shallot, chopped mint, Arabic 7-spice, olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Gently fold the diced tuna into the mixture until evenly coated. Taste and adjust seasoning. Chill while preparing other components.

Prepare burgul crackers

If using whole burgul crackers, pulse briefly in a food processor to create fine, crisp crumbs. Reserve for plating. (If using pre-made thin crackers, break into medallions or leave whole.)

Whisk together tahini, chopped chipotle, grated garlic, lemon juice, and warm water until smooth and pourable. Adjust thickness with additional water if necessary. Season with salt to taste. Transfer to a squeeze bottle or small bowl for plating.

Combine labneh and soft goat cheese in a bowl. Stir in liquid smoke (or briefly cold-smoke the mixture) and salt until smooth. Chill until ready to plate. If thicker texture is desired, refrigerate in a fine strainer to remove excess whey for 30–60 minutes before serving.

Rehydrate dried morita chilies in hot water for 10 minutes, then remove stems and seeds and finely chop (or puree with a tablespoon of water). In a small saucepan, combine chopped morita (or paste), tamarind concentrate, brown sugar, soy sauce, water, and olive oil. Bring to a gentle simmer and reduce until slightly thickened, about 5–7 minutes. Taste and adjust balance of sweet, sour, and salt. Strain if a smooth glaze is desired. Keep warm or cool to room temperature.

Preheat oven to 200°C (400°F). Using a mandoline or very sharp knife, slice potatoes into 2–3 mm (1/16–1/8 inch) slices. Toss slices briefly with melted butter, cream, garlic powder, salt, and pepper to coat.

Layer slices tightly in a small square (about 8 x 8 cm / 3 x 3 inch) loaf tin or ring mold, pressing down to eliminate air gaps, until about 4 cm (1.5 inches) tall. Brush remaining butter on top, cover with foil and bake for 25–30 minutes, then remove foil and bake another 10–15 minutes until edges are golden and potatoes are tender.

Remove from oven and let rest 10 minutes. Invert onto a cutting board, slice into serving-sized pavé squares, and keep warm.

Toast hazelnuts in a dry skillet over medium heat until fragrant and lightly browned, about 5–7 minutes. Toast sesame seeds, coriander, and cumin seeds separately until aromatic. Pulse hazelnuts in a food processor to a coarse crumb, then stir in toasted seeds, ground coriander and cumin, and salt. Adjust texture so mixture remains crumbly, not a paste. Transfer to a bowl for plating.

Spread a smear (about 1–1.5 tbsp) of smoked goat labneh on each plate where you want the croquettes to sit.

Place a potato pavé square onto the labneh smear.

Spoon or pipe a quenelle (or small mound, ~2 tbsp) of tuna tartare onto each potato pavé square. Lightly press a few burgul cracker crumbs onto the sides or top of the tartare to create texture.

Drizzle tahina–chipotle sauce around the plate and over the tartare in a thin ribbon. Dot or brush a small amount of the morita chili & tamarind glaze over the tartare and pavé for sweet-smoky heat (use sparingly).

Scatter a pinch of house dukkah over the pavé edge and around the plate for crunch. Finish with a few microgreens or mint leaves, a light drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil, and a small squeeze of lemon if desired.

Serve immediately so the tuna remains chilled and the pavé is warm-to-room temperature. Provide lemon wedges alongside.