Cook quail eggs in boiling water for 5 minutes, then place in cold water to cool.
ingredients
makes about 48
12 ounce tuna, in one piece, skinned
24 hard-boiled quail eggs, halved lengthways, to garnish
1 1/2 cups fresh cilantro leaves, to garnish
cure
1 pound rock salt
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground black peppercorns
1 teaspoon ground ginger
for the filo tartlets
1/2 pound filo pastry
1 cup sweet butter, melted
apple mousseline mayonnaise
2 tablespoons smooth apple sauce
1 cup whole egg mayonnaise
2 tablespoons cream, whipped
method
1. Choose a large flat glass dish for curing. Cut the tuna into 1 1/4 inch strips the length of the tuna, then cut the lengths to fit the dish.
2. Mix the cure ingredients and cover the base of the dish with a layer of the cure, then a layer of tuna. Continue layering, finishing with a layer of cure. Weigh down and refrigerate for 4 hours.
3. Remove the tuna from the cure. Wash the tuna under cold running water, then dry thoroughly. If not using right away, wrap in a lightly oiled cloth to prevent drying out. Refrigerate before slicing.
4. Preheat the oven to moderately hot 190°C (375°F). For the filo cups, layer 6 sheets of filo on top of one another, brushing each with butter. Keep the remainder under a damp cloth.
5. Cut 3 inch rounds of the layered filo with a cutter. Cut through with scissors if necessary. Line two 12-hole round-based patty tins with the rounds, butter-side-down. Press into the holes and prick with a fork. Arrange on baking trays and freeze for at least 10 minutes. (This can be done a day ahead.) While chilling, prepare the remaining filo rounds, but keep covered to prevent them drying out.
6. Bake the pastry cases for 4 — 5 minutes. Remove from the tins and cool on a wire rack. Repeat with the remaining filo rounds.
7. For the apple mousseline mayonnaise, fold the apple sauce into the mayonnaise, then fold in the cream. Taste and add salt and pepper if necessary.
8. Do not assemble until just before serving. Slice the tuna across the grain in paper-thin slices with a sharp knife. Spoon a teaspoonful of mayonnaise into each case. Top with a slice of tuna, half a quail egg and a cilantro leaf. Serve at once.
