If recent reports documenting the high levels of mercury in
canned tuna haven’t scared you into a straitjacket of tuna-abstinence, then
browsing the staggeringly vast selection crowding supermarket aisles might just
do the trick. Albacore, skipjack, yellowfin, bluefin, bonito? Packed in
vegetable oil, olive oil, water or broth? Solid, chunk, grated, ventresca? Too
much mercury, too many choices – in these circumstances, there seems little to
encourage indulgence or experimentation.
Little except the winsome taste memory. If you’ve ever
savored a can of first-rate tuna, you know it’s not a gustatory experience
you’ll forego effortlessly. So, don’t.
Mercury Buster
As contamination of and disease in the food supply become
increasingly common (and, unfortunately, I’ve seen no data that suggests
otherwise), our task as unfaltering gourmands is to learn to forage for food
intelligently. Consumption of canned tuna can indeed expose you to high levels
of mercury, so to make certain that you don’t exceed maximum recommended
levels, visit the Got Mercury website (http://www.gotmercury.org/) every time
you plan to eat fish. Calculating the quantity of mercury you consume on a
weekly basis will help you to plan healthful, delicious meals that include the
appropriate amounts of your favorite fish.
Of course, achieving a healthful diet involves more than
calculating mercury, so don’t forget to surf other sections of the Got Mercury
website to learn more about what you can do to ensure that the fish on your
plate is safe for consumption.
Selection Buster
You might assume that a safe tuna is a delicious tuna, but
unfortunately, that just ain’t so. All tuna were not created equal and many
absolutely do not deserve the right to show up on the plates of unfaltering
gourmands comme nous. So, I've come
up with some easy tips to keep the undeserving out of your pantry and off of
your plate.
Type of fish.
There are lots of fish sold as “tuna”. Look for products containing only one
type of fish per can or jar, with labels that clearly indicate which type that
is. The most toothsome varieties are albacore, Northern bluefin, Atlantic
bonito, and yellowfin, and, although costly, they’re well worth the extra
expense.
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Albacore is one
of America’s
most popular canned tunas; its flesh is dense, white and delicately flavored,
and it is a perfect addition to recipes containing mild, crunchy ingredients.
Bella-Costa and Papa George produce superb canned albacore that is as
dissimilar to mass-brand albacore as sevruga caviar is dissimilar to lumpfish
roe.
Northern bluefin,
probably the most prized of all the tunas, has a rosy hue with a soft, round
flavor and medium-firm texture and is exquisite in simple recipes where its
subtle flavor can be appreciated. Unfortunately, it’s virtually impossible to
find this type of canned tuna on the American market any more. But if and when
bluefin stocks are eventually replenished and importation recommences, look
for Italian brands, such as Callipo, that are redolent of the salty sea
breezes and scrubby vegetation of Mediterranean islands.
Atlantic bonito
possesses a deep golden color, pronounced flavor, and medium-soft flesh, and
is appetizing in spaghetti sauces and other savory dishes where its distinct
flavor blends with rather than overwhelms other ingredients. Excellent brands
for Atlantic bonito are Agromar and Ortiz.
Yellowfin has a
milder flavor than Atlantic bonito, though not as mild as albacore, and a
medium-firm, golden flesh. It is one of the most versatile of canned tunas,
satisfying and tasty in dishes ranging from crisp salads to soft terrines.
Flott, Callipo, and Ortiz produce excellent yellowfin.
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Pack. Most of us
are familiar with the words used to designate pack: “solid”, “chunk”, “filet”,
“flakes”, “grated”. Good quality tunas are either solid or chunk packed (please
completely disregard any product labeled flakes or grated). Solid packed tunas
contain one or two large pieces of fish, with little or no flakes, while chunk
packed tunas contain a mix of larger pieces, with some flakes. Whether solid or
chunk, quality tunas have a supple texture and when pressed with a fork are
neither squishy nor tough.
In addition to solid and chunk, canned tuna is also packed
as filets labeled “ventresca”. While solid and chunk packs are cut from the
loin and other muscular sections of the tuna, ventresca is cut from the tender,
buttery belly. The proper texture for ventresca is soft and silken – a fork
should sink in to it luxuriously.
For most recipes, solid or chunk packs are excellent
choices. If the recipe calls for putting the tuna directly onto a serving plate
from the can, the solid pack will hold together better. If, however, the recipe
calls for blending tuna into mayonnaise, the more crumbly chunk cut is a bit
easier to work with. Both solid and chunk do equally well in the food
processor.
Ventresca, with its delicate flavor and texture, is best
served as is, accompanied by simple but excellent crackers, breadsticks or
bread, rather than incorporated into elaborate recipes.
Packing medium.
Canned tuna should always be packed in olive oil. Olive oil enhances its flavor
and texture and imbues it with an appetizing fragrance. The oil should taste
pleasantly fruity, as if just poured from a properly stored bottle: it should
never taste tinny or bitter.
Here are a few recipes to get you back on a tuna roll.
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SPUMA DI TONNO
Serves 4
Use a solid or chunk yellowfin packed in olive oil for
this silky spuma. Once whipped up, pipe into pitted olives, pickled cherry
peppers, and small pastry shells; or slather onto cocktail breads and top
with anchovy filets or a dusting of minced capers. Or serve in small bowls
accompanied by crudités.
2-6-ounce can of tuna packed in olive oil, drained
3 anchovy filets packed in olive oil, drained
1 tbsp salted capers, rinsed, dried and minced
1-1/2 tbsp unsalted European butter
1 tsp lemon juice
1. In the food processor, combine the tuna, anchovy
filets, and capers and process until smooth, about 1 minute.
2. Add lemon juice and pulse for 10-20 seconds.
3. Incorporate butter, pulse until fully integrated.
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STUFFED SUMMER TOMATOES
Serves 4
These are wonderful as a side-dish or as a light luncheon
entrée. Use tomatoes from your garden, still warm from the sun, or from a
trusted farm stand or farmer’s market.
4 large tomatoes, stem and leaves removed
2 – 6 ounce cans of albacore tuna, packed in olive oil
1 clove garlic
1 tsp capers packed in salt
Half a handful of parsley
Salt
Olive Oil
1. Slice tomatoes in two, hollow out, and rinse. Dry with
paper towel and lightly sprinkle a pinch of salt in each half.
2. In food processor, combine remaining ingredients, and
process about 20 seconds. The consistency should be smooth but not pasty.
3. Fill each of the tomato halves with the tuna mixture.
4. Drizzle olive oil on the bottom of a large baking dish
and place the tomatoes side by side in the dish.
5. Bake in a 375-degree oven for 20 minutes. Serve warm.
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POTATOES WITH VENTRESCA
Serves 4
This simple dish beautifully showcases ventresca’s subtle
flavor and texture. It makes a superb appetizer or a perfect side dish for a
delicate entrée.
3 medium Yukon
gold potatoes
1-4.4 oz can of Callipo Ventresca
Olive Oil
Salt
1. Scrub the potatoes and steam until tender, about 25
minutes. Remove from steamer and let cool. Thickly slice the cooled potatoes
and arrange in a single layer on a platter. Salt to taste and drizzle with
olive oil.
2. Drain the ventresca and gently crumble on top of the
potatoes.
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5:54:52 PM 
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