Good Fish_ Sustainable Seafood Recipes From the Pacific Coast - Becky Selengut [61]
BY ANY OTHER NAME: Albacore tuna (Thunnus alalunga), aka canned white tuna, is also called tombo (in Hawaii you might see it called tombo ahi), longfin tunny, or, in Japan, shiro maguro or bin’naga maguro.
SEASON: July to September.
BUYING TIPS: Albacore tuna is very soft when raw and firms up as it cooks. Treat it gently when raw to prevent bruising and tearing. The meat of fresh albacore should be bright, from a white-pink to deeper pink color, and have no blood spots/bruising. The texture will be soft and oily. Whole albacore shouldn’t have dents or dings in the skin (a sign of poor handling).
QUESTIONS TO ASK BEFORE YOU PULL OUT YOUR WALLET: Where is this tuna from? Look for U.S. Pacific Coast albacore. How was it caught? Prioritize troll-or line-caught. As a second choice, look for Hawaiian long-line caught.
CARING FOR YOUR GOOD FISH: When I get any fish fillet home that I’m not able to use that night, I take it out of its packaging, pat it dry with paper towels, rewrap it in plastic wrap, put it in a drip pan (a perforated pan or a colander over a bowl), and throw some ice on top before storing it in the refrigerator. This ensures that the fillet is optimally chilled to preserve freshness and is ready to cook the next day.
HOW THIS TYPE OF SEAFOOD IS RAISED OR HARVESTED: Albacore is a highly migratory species; consequently, trollers target whole schools of fish. Bait is often thrown over the side to keep the school close by as the tuna are caught one by one with hooks and lines.
SUSTAINABLE SUBSTITUTES: Use another meaty firm or semi-firm fish; halibut or salmon come to mind.
albacore niçoise
8 plum tomatoes, halved
2 tablespoons extra-virgin
olive oil, plus additional for
serving the salad
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
Salt and freshly ground pepper
5 sprigs lemon or regular
thyme
¾ pound fingerling potatoes,
halved, or 1 large Yukon
Gold potato, skin on, cut
into large dice
1 (6-ounce) can troll-caught
albacore in extra-virgin olive
oil, drained, 1 tablespoon of
the oil reserved
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Juice of 1 lemon (about 3
tablespoons)
Leaves from 1 head butter
lettuce
⅓ cup niçoise olives
¼ pound Dilly Beans (page
155)
4 hard-boiled eggs, cut in half
4 pieces toasted crusty bread
Salade niçoise is a traditional salad that originated in Nice, France. It is a “composed” salad, meaning a dish where you can show your guests your personality type. Anal types will place each ingredient in efficient, color-coordinated piles, most likely not touching each other. Laissez-faire types will have everything piled randomly on the platter. I leave this up to you and your therapist.
SERVES 4
Preheat the oven to 300ºF.
In a medium bowl, toss the tomatoes with the olive oil and balsamic vinegar, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer the tomatoes to a sheet pan lined with parchment paper, tucking the lemon thyme sprigs under the tomatoes. Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until the tomatoes are semidried and lightly caramelized.
Meanwhile, place the potatoes in a small pot, cover with water, and bring to a boil. Salt the water generously. Cook until the potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes. Drain the potatoes and put them in a small bowl. Add the reserved tuna oil and mustard. Season to taste with pepper and 1 teaspoon of the lemon juice, reserving the remainder to dress the salad. Mix well and set aside.
On a platter, according to your nature, arrange the lettuce, tuna, potatoes, slow-roasted tomatoes, olives, Dilly Beans, and eggs. Drizzle the remaining lemon juice and olive oil over the salad, and season