From: Chef Jennifer Jasinski, Rioja, Denver. Yield: 4 servings.
4 extra-large artichoke hearts or fresh artichokes
8 oz. #1 tuna, sashimi quality
1/4 cup NiÁoise olives, pitted
1/4 cup picholine olives, pitted
2 Tbsp. basil, chopped
1 Tbsp. parsley, chopped
2 lemons, zest only (retain juice for poaching)
1 cup olive oil
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
4 egg yolks
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup brioche bread crumbs
2 whisked eggs, for breading
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 cup mixed baby greens
To prepare egg yolks: Separate eggs very carefully so as not to break the yolks. Place yolk on a small amount of flour and place in the freezer to solidify. Once the egg yolks are hard, gently bread them, first in flour, then in the whisked eggs and finally in brioche bread crumbs. Place breaded egg yolks back in the freezer until you are ready to finish the dish.
To prepare artichoke hearts: Marinate artichoke hearts in 1 tsp. of lemon zest, 1 tsp. parsley, 1 tsp. basil and 1 Tbsp. olive oil. Season artichoke hearts with salt and pepper. (If using fresh artichokes, clean them all the way down to the choke and remove all the "fur" in the center. Poach gently in salted water with lemon juice. Poach hearts until you can pierce them with a paring knife. Marinate as noted above.) Reserve artichoke hearts until you are ready to stuff them.
To prepare the tuna: On a cutting board with a sharp knife, dice the tuna into 1/4" pieces. Make sure there is no sinew or dark pieces. Place tuna in a bowl sitting inside another bowl with ice to keep tuna very cold while you are working. Chop olives and add to tuna.
Add remaining lemon zest and herbs. Drizzle in 1/3 of olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Season tuna mix with salt and pepper.
To finish: Toss greens in 1/3 of olive oil and vinegar and place in center of 4 salad plates as a bed to hold the artichoke. Top greens with artichoke filled with tuna tartare. Flatten gently on top for the fried egg.
In a small sautè pan with olive oil (be sure oil comes up 1/4" on the egg) add frozen egg yolk and cook on medium heat until brown. Season with salt and pepper. Gently turn eggs when one side is nicely browned. When browned on both sides, place on top of stuffed artichoke. Drizzle remaining olive oil on the plate with a few drops of balsamic floating in it. Serve immediately.
