Chef Eric Morrissette of Maui Brewing Co. makes Ahi Tuna Confit Tostadas with Kuleana Oil
When Chef Eric Morrissette of Maui Brewing Co. Kīhei created a dish for this year's Maui Brewers Festival, he built it around a bottle of Kuleana Hawaiʻi Grown Sunflower Oil — and the result was one of the most talked-about bites of the day.
His Tuna Confit Tostadas are a playful, elevated spin on the classic tuna melt: fresh ahi slow-poached in Kuleana Sunflower Oil, folded into a bold, creamy salad mix with gochujang mayo, pepper jack, pickles, and jalapeño, all piled onto a crispy tostada shell and finished with fresh microgreens. It's comfort food with technique behind it — and now you can make it at home.
Watch Chef Eric make the full dish in the Maui Brewing Co. Kīhei kitchen:
📺 Tuna Confit Tostadas with Kuleana Sunflower Oil — YouTube
What Is Confit — and Can a Home Chef Do It?
Confit (pronounced con-FEE) is a French technique where food is slowly cooked submerged in fat at a low, gentle temperature. It's not frying — there's no sizzle, no browning. Instead, the fish poaches gently in oil, staying silky and tender while absorbing the subtle nuttiness of whatever oil you use.
For fresh ahi tuna, it's a revelation. And for a home chef, it's more approachable than it sounds — all you need is a wide shallow pot, a kitchen thermometer, and patience. Chef Eric also includes a sous vide method below if you have a circulator.
The key is the oil. Kuleana Hawaiʻi Grown Sunflower Oil is clean, stable, and expeller-pressed — exactly what a proper confit demands.
The Full Recipe
Developed by Chef Eric Morrissette, Executive Chef — Maui Brewing Co. Kīhei
Created for the 2026 Maui Brewers Festival
This dish has three components. Read through all three before you start — each one is simple, and they come together quickly.
A note on yield: This recipe was developed by Chef Eric for large-scale festival service. As written, it yields enough ahi salad to top approximately 40 tostadas. For a home dinner party, we recommend making ¼ of the recipe — which will serve 4–6 people comfortably. The gochujang mayo can be made in full and refrigerated for up to a week; it's excellent on sandwiches, grain bowls, and just about everything else.
Part 1: Tuna Confit
Yield: 2.5 lbs
Ingredients
- 2½ lbs fresh ahi tuna, cut into similar-sized chunks
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- Peel of 1 lemon, removed with a vegetable peeler
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 quart Kuleana Hawaiʻi Grown Sunflower Oil (a 75/25 blend of sunflower to neutral oil works well for larger batches)
Instructions
- Add the oil, salt, lemon peel, and bay leaf to a wide, shallow pot over medium-low heat.
- Bring the oil to 180°F — use a kitchen thermometer to monitor. Low and slow is the goal.
- Gently lower the tuna chunks into the warm oil and let poach for 8–10 minutes.
- Remove from heat and allow the tuna to cool in the oil — this keeps it moist as it finishes cooking.
- Remove tuna from oil. The oil can be reserved for one additional batch.
- Flake the tuna with your hands or a fork into bite-sized pieces. Do not fully shred — you want texture.
Chef Eric's Sous Vide Method
"I prefer to sous vide my tuna for more precise and controlled cooking. Add all ingredients to a vacuum bag and seal at 100% — you'll only need 2–3 oz of oil in the pouch. Set your circulator to 140°F and cook for 45 minutes to 1 hour."
Part 2: Gochujang Mayo
The secret weapon. Spicy, tangy, rich — and the flavor backbone of the whole dish.
Ingredients
- 2 cups mayonnaise
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
- ¾ cup gochujang paste
- Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients and mix until smooth.
- Taste and adjust seasoning. It should be bold — spicy, tangy, and creamy.
- Refrigerate until ready to use. Keeps well for up to one week.
Part 3: Ahi Salad Mix
Yield: enough to top approximately 40 small tostada shells
Ingredients
- 2½ lbs ahi confit, flaked (from Part 1)
- 1½ cups red onion, ¼" dice
- ½ cup scallion greens, thinly sliced
- ½ cup pickles, finely chopped
- ½ cup jalapeño, seeded and finely chopped
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 lb pepper jack cheese, ¼" dice
- 1 cup gochujang mayo (from Part 2)
- Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients except the ahi in a large bowl and mix well until evenly incorporated.
- Add the flaked ahi confit and gently fold to combine — keep the tuna in tender pieces.
- Adjust seasoning with kosher salt until fully seasoned.
Build Your Tostadas
To plate the dish the way Chef Eric served it at Maui Brewers Festival:
- Lay crispy tostada shells on a platter or individual plates
- Top generously with the ahi salad mix
- Finish with a handful of fresh microgreens
- Optional: an extra drizzle of gochujang mayo and a squeeze of fresh lemon
Serve immediately while the shells are still crispy. 🌻
Why Kuleana Sunflower Oil for Confit?
Confit demands an oil that is clean, stable, and flavor-forward without being overpowering. Kuleana Hawaiʻi Grown Sunflower Oil checks every box — a beautiful flavor, a gentle nuttiness, and the kind of purity that comes from being grown and expeller-pressed in Hawaiʻi. No chemicals. No shortcuts.
