Tag: tinned tuna

Appetizers · Fish · Salad

Smoked trout and avocado salad toasts

Belinda

This is a great recipe for lunch using cans of Trader Joes smoked trout.

Screen Shot 2020-03-26 at 10.24.10 AM

Serves 4
1 large shallot
1 lemon, juiced
Salt and pepper, to taste
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 heads Belgian endive
2 to 3 scallions, finely sliced
1/2 pound smoked trout, or use 2 x 3.9oz cans from Trader Joes. They are great to have in the pantry
1 firm, ripe avocado
1/4 cup finely minced parsley
Four 1-inch thick slices good bread

Preheat the broiler to high.
Finely mince the shallot and place in a small bowl. Cover with the lemon juice and a pinch of salt and freshly cracked pepper. (I like to add a pinch of sugar, too.) Set aside to macerate for 15 to 20 minutes.
Use a fork to whisk in the olive oil. Taste and adjust seasoning as necessary.

Meanwhile, quarter the heads of endive through the core, then finely slice crosswise. Place in a large bowl. Scatter the scallions over top. Break the smoked trout into large pieces over top.
Pour the dressing over top, and use your hands to gently toss everything together, keeping the trout in largish pieces. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed—now is the time to correct for seasoning because once the avocado is in, you don’t want to toss too much or it will all turn to mush.

Dice the avocado, and add to the bowl followed by the parsley. Toss with your hands again gently until combined. Set salad aside.

Arrange bread on cooling rack set on sheet pan. Drizzle lightly with olive oil. Broil 2 minutes or until lightly golden, keeping a close watch. Remove pan from oven, flip slices of bread over, drizzle with more oil, and return pan to the oven for another 2 minutes, or until bread is golden.

Transfer toasts to a platter. Mound trout and avocado salad over top. Serve immediately.

Appetizers · Dairy-free · Do-ahead · Fish · Gluten Free · Poultry · Whole30 compliant

Turkey tonnato

Belinda

Given I’m not using beef or veal in recipes, I have replaced the usual veal tonnato with turkey and it’s brilliant! Thank you to Giada de Laurentiis for this recipe.

Screen Shot 2015-05-05 at 10.15.19 AM

2 pound turkey breast, skinless and boneless (Or you can be really lazy and use precooked thickly sliced turkey, (1/2 ” slices) then miss the cooking stage of the turkey completely)
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon dried thyme
1 tablespoon dried basil
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup chicken stock
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Tuna Sauce:
6 ounces canned white meat tuna, packed in olive oil, do not drain. (Try not to use a tuna that contains soy.)
1 teaspoon anchovy paste or 1 anchovy fillet, drained
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon capers, drained
1/3 cup Kraft Real, or Helmann’s Real mayonnaise. (Or a good quality Whole 30 version)
Chopped parsley leaves, capers or lemon slices, for garnish

Preheat oven 375 F.

Season the turkey with salt, pepper and herbs. Coat with olive oil, place in a baking pan and pour the chicken broth around the turkey. Place in the oven and bake for 30 to 40 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool in the baking pan for 10 minutes. Slice into 1/2-inch slices, on an angle. Allow to sit in baking pan with juices as you make sauce.

In the bowl of a food processor add the tuna, anchovy, lemon juice and capers. Puree until creamy, about 1 minute. Pour the tuna mixture into a bowl and stir in the mayonnaise.

Place the slices of turkey on a platter and pour the tuna sauce on top. Garnish with chopped parsley.

Fish · Nuts · Salad

Oil Packed-Tuna, Avocado, White Bean, Almond and Arugula Salad

Belinda

This almost doesn’t need a recipe, but the combination is so delicious and healthy, I had to post it.

Serves 4 and makes about 1/3 cup dressing
2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp Dijon mustard
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
honey
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
4 to 5 oz baby arugula
1/3 cup of lightly toasted slivered almonds
1 1/2 cups cooked cannellini beans (white kidney beans)  canned is fine.
1 1/2 cups cooked quinoa
6 oz olive oil-packed tuna (preferably line or poll caught)
4 oz crumbled Greek feta cheese
1 medium ripe avocado, pitted and diced small

Whisk together the lemon juice, balsamic, Dijon, a pinch of salt and a couple of twists of black pepper in a small bowl until well combined.
Add honey to taste and slowly whisk in the olive oil until well combined.
Taste and add more salt, pepper or honey if desired.
* The dressing can be made up to 4 days in advance and stored in the fridge.
Arrange the arugula in a salad bowl and top with the beans, quinoa, tuna, feta, almonds and avocado.
Drizzle with half the dressing and serve, passing the additional dressing on the side

Accompaniments · Fish

Curried tuna salad to put in sandwiches or pita pockets

Belinda

 

Such a divine  filling for sandwiches or even just wrapped in a lettuce leaf.

2 cans (about 6 oz each) solid light tuna packed in olive oil, well drained and broken into large chunks
1/4 cup drained sliced pickled jalapeno peppers, chopped
1/2 cup good mayonnaise
1 tbsp fresh lime juice
2 tsp best quality curry powder
1/4 cup diced celery heart
1/4 cup diced red onion
1/2 cup dark raisins
1/2 cup coarsely chopped Granny Smith apple, unpeeled
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Gently combine the tuna, jalapenos, mayonnaise, lime juice, curry powder, celery heart, red onion, raisins, apple, basil and salt and pepper to taste, in a medium bowl.
Serve with bread or pita pockets.

Do-ahead · Fish · Sauces

Tonnato sauce

Belinda

This is one of the loveliest cold sauces to put over thin slices of cold chicken, turkey, veal or roasted red peppers. The lovely tuna flavor with the capers is really special and it’s very silky.

2 large egg yolks, at room temperature
Sea salt
2 1/4 cups extra virgin olive oil
5 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 7oz can good quality tuna packed in oil
5 anchovy fillets
3 tbsp capers, drained

For garnish
extra capers, thin slices lemon, pitted black olives, parsley leaves or anchovy fillets.

In a large bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and 1/4 tsp salt until pale yellow and the consistency of cream.
Beginning a drop at a time, add 1 1/4 cups olive oil, whisking continually.
As the mixture thickens, you can add the oil a little quicker. When it gets quite thick, whisk in 1 tbsp lemon juice.
Continue adding the oil until the whole 1 1/4 cups has been absorbed and the mayonnaise is quite thick and shiny.
Whisk in another tbsp of lemon juice.

Drain the tuna and put it in a food processor with the anchovies, remaining cup of olive oil, remaining lemon juice and capers.
Process until you get a creamy uniformly blended sauce.
Scrape the sauce into a bowl with the mayonnaise and fold to combine.
Taste for seasoning. It should be tangy and highly seasoned.
Refrigerate until needed

 

Do-ahead · Fish · Pasta

Grown-up tuna noodle bake

Belinda

I can hear you thinking “Oh no, no way” but try it, it’s really tasty and is definitely a “grown-up ” version of that dreadfully dated American staple. It also freezes beautifully.

Serves 8

Butter, to grease the dish
12 oz fusilli pasta (or shells or wide noodles or whatever pasta you like)
2 tbsp olive oil
2 cups cremini mushrooms
1/3 cup minced shallots (about 2 large shallots)
4 large cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup dry white wine
3 tbsp all-purpose flour
3&1/2 cups whole milk
3/4 to 1 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano (NOT pre grated!)
3 tbsp capers, drained
2 x 5oz cans chunk light tuna, drained of oil
1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup thinly sliced kale or spinach
1&1/2 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp kosher salt
1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp butter
1/2 cup breadcrumbs

Preheat the oven to 375F

Butter a 2 1/2 to 3 qt casserole dish and set aside.
Cook the pasta until al dente in a large pot of salted, boiling water. Drain and set aside

In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat.
Add the mushrooms and shallots, cook for about 5 minutes or until the shallots are translucent and the mushrooms are beginning to soften.
Add the garlic and continue cooking for 1 additional minute. Slowly pour in the wine, lower the heat to medium-low and cook until the liquid is reduced by half, about 3 to 5 minutes.
Add the flour to the pan and stir well to ensure all the mushrooms are coated.
Increase the heat to high and slowly pour in the milk, bringing the mixture to a boil.
Reduce the heat to medium and cook, stirring to avoid sticking or clumping, until the milk begins to thicken and starts to look more like a sauce, about 5 minutes.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the pasta, parmesan cheese, capers, tuna, flaked, sour cream, chopped kale or spinach, thyme, salt and pepper.
Pour the creamy mushroom sauce into the bowl and stir to coat all the ingredients.
Transfer the mixture to the prepared casserole dish and set aside.

In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Sprinkle in the breadcrumbs and cook until fragrant and slightly toasty, 2-3 minutes.
Sprinkle the crispy breadcrumbs over the top of the casserole and bake for 20 minutes or until the top is lightly brown.
Remove from the oven and sprinkle chopped parsley on top.
Serve hot.

Cover and refrigerate the leftovers for up to 3 days or freeze immediately.

 

Fish

Tuna melt canapes

Belinda

These are the grown up version of tuna melt! Delicious and very more-ish so make a lot.
Curry powder, raisins and chutney pair nicely with cheddar cheese in this dressed up version of “tuna melt” canapes. This recipe only serves 2 but it’s easily quadrupled!

2 -3 tbsp good quality mayonnaise
1&1/2 tbsp raisins
1tbsp mango chutney, chopped  (I use Major Grey brand)
1/2 tsp medium curry powder
1 x 5oz can tuna packed in oil, drained
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper , to taste
2 slices good quality white bread or sourdough, crusts removed
2 thin square slices of mature cheddar cheese
8 x 1″ pieces of fresh chives, optional

Heat the oven to broil and arrange a rack about 10 inches from the heating element.
Combine the mayonnaise, raisins, chutney, curry and tuna in a bowl and season with salt and pepper and set aside.

Cut each slice of bread and cheese into 4 triangles. Spoon the tuna mixture on top of the bread pieces and top with the cheese.

Broil the triangles until the cheese is melted and bubbly. About 3 to 5 minutes. garnish with the chives and serve with a good stiff drink!

 

Do-ahead · Fish · Gluten Free · Meat

Tonnato sauce (Italian tuna sauce) with sliced pork fillet

Belinda

This is the easiest and most delectable cold sauce to put over thinly sliced pork fillet.
You can also use thinly sliced turkey, chicken, veal and even roasted peppers. It’s so versatile and I highly recommend it.

Serves 4

For the pork
8 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1lb pork fillet

For the sauce
3.5 oz a good brand of canned tuna in olive oil, drained
2 egg yolks
2 anchovy fillets
8 – 9 fl oz extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 -2 tbsp capers
freshly ground pepper
chopped parsley to garnish

Pout the stock into a large saucepan and poach the pork fillet for 20 minutes until cooked through. Leave it to cool in the stock.
When the fillet is quite cold, remove them it the stock and slice thinly. Arrange on a serving plate.

Meanwhile, put the drained tuna into a food processor with the egg yolks and anchovy fillets. Turn the motor on and gradually add the olive oil in a very thin trickle.
Add the ground pepper and lemon juice, to taste
Spoon the sauce over the pork and scatter with capers
Garnish with parsley and serve

 

Appetizers · Do-ahead · Fish · Gluten Free

Tuna tapenade

Belinda

This is one of Ina Garten’s recipes and is delicious as a quick starter to put over toasted crostini.
I beg you to use Italian tuna in olive oil, not American tuna, as it has twice the flavor.

Makes about 36 crostini full.

10 – 12 oz canned Italian tuna packed in olive oil
2 tsp anchovy paste
1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
2 tbsp minced fresh flat leaf parsley, plus extra for garnish
1 tbsp grated lemon zest
2 large cloves garlic, minced (about 2 tsp)
3 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
3 tbsp good olive oil (plus extra for brushing the bread slices)
1/3 cup Italian mascarpone cheese
1/4 cup pitted and chopped Kalamata olives
1 tbsp drained capers
1 tsp Kosher salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
36 slices French bread sliced diagonally

Drain all but 1 tbsp of the oil from the tuna then flake the fish into the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade.
Add the anchovy paste, thyme, lemon zest, garlic and  parsley and pulse a few times.
Add the lemon juice, 3 tbsp olive oil, and the mascarpone cheese and process until smooth.
Add the olives, capers, salt and pepper and pulse just to incorporate.
Transfer the mixture to a bowl and cover with plastic wrap  and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Meanwhile heat a grill or use a heavy ridged flat pan. Slice the French bread diagonally and brush with olive oil and put on the grill until lightly browned. You can also put the slices on a sheet pan and roast at 400 F for about 6 minutes or until toasted.
Set aside and allow to cool slightly.
Mound the tapenade on the toast pieces and sprinkle with the extra chopped parsley and serve on a large platter.