Recipe & Photos By Tiffany Haugen
With salmon season winding down in many rivers, now is a good time to explore other culinary wonders. With the recent surge in tuna fishing popularity up and down the West Coast, now is the perfect time to get after those hard fighting, great eating fish.
Tuna is a favorite at our house and we are blessed to get our share of fresh meat along with plenty of extra to freeze, smoke and can. Canning has lost the popularity it once had in my parent’s and grandparent’s generations, but it is easy and the results are worth every bit of effort.
Store bought varieties can’t even compare to fresh canned tuna!
Tuna can be tricky to cook, however, and although the meat is nice and firm, take special care not to overcook it. Most tuna is safe to eat rare to medium-rare, but as is the case with red meat, everyone has a preference.
Grilling is an easy way to cook fish to any taste, but fish on a grill can get messy.
The following recipes are alternatives to the standard “sear” that most tuna gets on the grill. Cooking on a plank or a wood wrap not only saves on clean-up, most importantly it keeps tuna steaks incredibly moist. Grill baskets of many styles can also be used, not only for marinated tuna chunks but for a variety of vegetables as well.
Following are two tuna recipes our family loves!
Tuna with Green Olive Cilantro Salsa
Tuna with Green Olive Cilantro Salsa- 1/2 cup green olives, sliced
- 1/2 cup tomato, diced
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves
- 1/2 cup green onion, sliced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- Fresh ground black pepper
Directions
- In a small bowl gently toss salsa ingredients.
- Place atop tuna steaks and grill or bake at 400º until desired doneness.
Tuna Kebabs
- 1/3 cup soy sauce
- 1/3 cup green onion, sliced
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 3 tablespoons fresh ginger, grated
- 3 cloves garlic, pureed
Directions
In a shallow bowl or sealable plastic baggie, add all marinade ingredients.
Cut tuna in large chunks and marinate 30 minutes (marinade will accommodate up to 2 pounds of fish).
Place tuna in kebab or grill basket with desired vegetables.
Grill to desired doneness.
Written by Tiffany Haugen www.tiffanyhaugen.com.