One of my alba-core beliefs
A Pinch of Salt
By Donna-Marie Riani
This year marks my 10th year living on the Oregon Coast. I moved here during the month of July at the start of tuna season. Everywhere I went I could hear people excitedly talking about tuna. People were sharing recipes and tips, but more often than not I heard people talking about canning. Listening to these conversations, I realized canning tuna involves a lot of work.
I grew up in the western suburbs of Chicago and had never met anyone who talked about tuna, let alone canning it. All I could think is that it sounds like a lot of work. Why not just go to the grocery store and buy a can? Well, I actually said that to someone, to which they laughed. They went into their house and came out with a jar of tuna for me. They told me to go home and make a sandwich with it and then get back to them with my thoughts. That was one of the best tuna sandwiches I have ever had. The firmness of the meat and the clean, fresh taste was amazing. That fresh tuna kicked the store-bought canned tuna’s little butt!
Albacore tuna are considered to be the creme de la creme of tuna. They are most abundant on the Oregon Coast in July and August, but a great season can run through September. They have more heart healthy omega 3 fatty acids than other tuna and are also rich in selenium and B-12. Albacore has a mild, clean flavor and a meaty texture, which is why it’s used in sushi and sashimi.
The recipe I’m sharing calls for fresh tuna steaks or loins, but I have made it with tuna in a pouch and it was still very delicious. There are a few ways to buy fresh: you can go to a bayfront where fishing boats dock, you can visit your local fishmonger or maybe you’re one of those lucky people who know a fisherman. Tuna is best enjoyed seared on the outside and still pink on the inside, but I realize some people prefer it cooked all the way through. Cook this to your liking.
This recipe is fresh, vibrant and tasty. You can serve it warm, room temperature or cold. Because there are so many fresh herbs in this, I don’t recommend you make it too far in advance as they will start to brown and dry out after a few hours.
This dish is a great way to use up vegetables that are just hanging around in your fridge. Feel free to add snap peas, radishes, broccoli, etc. I can’t think of a vegetable that wouldn’t be good in this.
Vietnamese Noodle Salad with Seared Tuna
16 ounces of tuna steaks or loin (4 ounces per person)
2 to 3 teaspoons sesame seeds, optional
7 ounces of your favorite thin noodles (your choice)
2 medium cucumbers, julienned
2 medium carrots, julienned
2 cups mixed fresh herbs, basil, parsley, cilantro, mint (your choice)
2 scallions, thinly sliced
1 jalapeño, cut into thin rings (remove the seeds if you don’t want too much heat)
1/4 cup fish sauce
1/4 cup white sugar
1/3 cup water
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 teaspoons rice vinegar
1 clove minced garlic
Lime wedges
Noodles
Cook according to package directions then drain in a colander. Run a little cold water over them to stop the cooking process.
Place the noodles in a large bowl. Add the cucumbers, carrots, herbs, scallions and jalapeño. Toss to combine. Set aside.
Dressing
In a medium bowl add fish sauce, sugar, water, lime juice, rice vinegar and garlic. Whisk to combine. Pour the dressing over the noodle salad. Toss to combine.
Seared tuna
In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Lightly salt and pepper the tuna and sprinkle with sesame seeds, then place in the hot skillet. Tuna that is one inch thick will take about one minute per side. If your tuna is two inches thick it will be about one and a half minutes per side. These times are for medium-rare tuna. If you like it cooked all the way through you will need to cook it longer. Remove the tuna from the pan and place it on a cutting board. Slice into half inch pieces.
To serve, divide the noodle salad among four shallow bowls. Place four ounces of tuna on top of each serving of noodles. Serve with a lime wedge to squeeze over the tuna.