Tuna tartare tostadas

Impress everyone with these outrageously yummy bites

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Hello!! Welcome to today’s Stories from Catbird Cottage. It has turned to
s-u-m-m-e-r in the span of mere days, with the temps soaring around 90º for much of the week. The gardens are looking amazing, and I, alas, am riddled with bug bites. Story of my life.

Over the weekend I put on two epic events. One - a private dinner - included a highlight of coriander seed + citrus-cured wild salmon with strawberries, pickled ramp bulbs and magnolia petals, purple shiso, and all kinds of wild ephemera (ground elder flowers, sedum, lambs quarters, and more). The *very next day* I hosted a women food professionals cookbook gathering at Catbird Cottage! For the occasion, everyone cooked from my book… It was perfect timing, accidentally coinciding with its exact three-year anniversary. It was a beautiful group, the weather was cool but pleasant, and we had so much fun!

Anna Stockwell with the Roasted Rhubarb Buttermilk Panna Cotta, p. 136, the table before the feast, umami-charged Radish Salad, p. 115, welcome cocktail Catbird Last Word, p. 103, in the garden, the whole gang, Jenna Helwig and Jessie Sheehan with a rhubarb version Pecan + Pistachio Crisp, p. 180, the Spring Fling Salad in Green with Pistachio Dukkah, p. 124, Maya Kaimal with the Wild Mushroom-Potato-Onion Tart, p. 194, Lamb with Labneh + Alliums 3 Ways, p. 177

Check out my Instagram post, and this piece by Jenna Helwig for more from the evening.

Let’s get into today’s ravishing dish, shall we?

What’s the most delicious thing you hadn’t planned to make? I’m pretty sure it is today’s recipe. I wasn’t intending to add this to my lineup until I saw TWO riffs on the theme within days of one another. That occurrence made for some powerful motivation. Shoutout to Alexis De Boschneck and Ben Lippett for inadvertently planting the seed, creating a deep craving so that I decided to drop everything, draft the grocery list, then go to make the dish, pronto… Truly, these are outrageously tasty tuna tartare tostadas. And they’re so easy to make. If you love ceviche, crudo, and all manner of velvety, crunchy, juicy salty foods, you’ve got to make this.

These tostadas are undeniably craveable and an ideal dish when you don’t really want to cook, which makes them a perfect fit for summer dining on multiple levels. Let this be the nudge to put you over the edge! Jim and I both agreed this recipe *must* go on an upcoming supper club menu, it’s THAT good. The crunch from the tostada base (not fried!), umami from the mayo, lush crudo-style fish, and the brightness of the salad - anointed with a shower of herbs and some alliums - tops it all off just right.