THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, September 15, 1994 TAG: 9409160748
SECTION: FLAVOR PAGE: F1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY BETTY DOUGLASS, SPECIAL TO FLAVOR
LENGTH: Medium: 62 lines
CANNED TUNA has long been the most popular fish in the United States.
``Tuna is a fish that I think is better canned than fresh,'' the famed cookbook author James Beard once said. Canned tuna is still purchased for its versatility and convenience. But fresh tuna has caught on with chefs and home cooks alike.
``Sadly, Beard died before he could see the amazing things his disciples have done with fresh tuna,'' says Mark Bittman in his new book, ``Fish: The Complete Guide to Buying and Cooking.''
Fresh tuna is on restaurant menus, from the most elegant to the most casual. Often seared, grilled or broiled, it is generally served with a chef's stamp of creativity.
When we say ``tuna fish,'' we most often mean canned tuna. When we ask for ``tuna,'' we might mean a fresh grill-marked fillet streaked with squiggles of cilantro-lime-jalapeno puree.
In either case, we say it a lot. Last year the average American ate 3 1/2 pounds of tuna, making it our favorite fish, according to the Nation al Fisheries Institute.
The most common form of fresh tuna sold is in steaks, from pale pink (albacore) to deep red (bluefin and yellowfin), Bittman says.
It's almost always sold without the skin, which is tough, he says. ``The dark brown flesh is edible but stronger tasting, he adds. ``Those who find it too `fishy' may remove it before or after cooking.''
Bobby Gallagher, of Norfolk's Colley Avenue Seafood Market, said tuna is available throughout the year, but will be plentiful in local markets in fall.
Look for freshness when buying - no gray flesh, dryness, brown spots or uneven color (with the exception of naturally dark flesh), Gallagher says.
Your eyes and nose should tell you when the fish is fresh. Try to buy it the day you plan to cook it.
As with any fish, cook tuna without robbing it of moisture. It should be rare or pink in the middle.
If you like, cook it to barely pink in the center; it will continue to cook when removed from heat and will probably be just right.
Use the touch-and-spring technique to test for doneness. The flesh should not be firm, but should give slightly to the touch.
Says Bittman: ``Like sirloin steak, tuna is red, tender and flavorful, and better rare than well done. But unlike most beef, tuna is almost fat-free - less than 1 percent by weight.''
Try tuna with pasta, beans or rice, and in salads.
The following recipes use fresh and canned tuna. Probably most popular are marinated grilled steaks. MEMO: Betty Douglass, a free-lance food writer and home economist in
Portsmouth, kitchen-tested these recipes. Knight-Ridder Newspapers
contributed to this article.
ILLUSTRATION: Color staff photos by Motoya Nakamura
Fish courtesy of Colley Avenue Seafood Market, Norfolk
by CNB