May 9, 2006
Let’s Talk Tuna
Let’s talk tuna. No, we’re not talking about your mother’s tuna casserole or your favorite tuna salad recipe here. We’re talking about Florida’s succulent yellowfin tuna, a beautifully colored fish prized worldwide for its full flavor and firm, lean meat. Tuna, or “thunnos” as the ancient Greeks called it, has been a culinary favorite for centuries. One of mankind's most ancient and honored foods, it was pursued by fishermen hundreds of years before the time of Christ. Ancient Greeks considered this elusive fish a great delicacy and admired it for its large size as well as its fierce fight when caught. The Incas and other South American civilizations along the Pacific favored this same catch, which they called Xatunkama.
As a member of the very large mackerel (Scombridae) family, the yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares) is one of the world’s most important food fish. The torpedo-shaped yellowfin tuna gets its name from its bright yellow dorsal and anal fins on a streamlined blue-black body that turns to a silvery white at its belly. It is built for speed with a rounded body, sharply pointed nose, tapering tail and crescent-shaped fins, all contributing to its reputation as a rapid swimmer.
Yellowfin tuna is found in most of the world ocean's temperate (warmer) waters, including the eastern and western Pacific Ocean and in the Atlantic Ocean as far north as the Bay of Biscay. It is pelagic (living in open oceans or seas rather than waters adjacent to land or inland waters) and restlessly roams the deeper offshore waters of Florida's Gulf and Atlantic Coasts. Traveling in schools, this tuna feeds primarily on fish, squid, crab larvae and shrimp. Yellowfin tuna can weigh up to 300 pounds but average weights in commercial catches are between twenty and one hundred pounds. In Florida, yellowfin is commercially harvested exclusively with hook-and-line which makes the fishery "dolphin-safe."
Yellowfin tuna is a versatile fish which is consumed raw, cooked, smoked and canned. It is widely used in raw fish dishes and is a prized fish for the sashimi market. Unlike most types of fish which have white flesh, yellowfin tuna has flesh coloration that varies from pink in smaller fish to deeper red in larger fish but becomes ivory white to tan when cooked. Larger fish typically have a higher fat content than smaller fish, and this is a desirable attribute for raw and broiled fish products, as well as for broiling. Fresh yellowfin undergoes oxidation of pigmented protein when exposed to air changing the meat from a red to a brown color in a matter of days. For this reason, yellowfin is usually not loined or filleted until shortly before use.
Yellowfin tuna is also excellent for grilling with its firm, dense texture and has become very popular in "blackened" fish preparations featured in Cajun cuisine. It is also a rich source of protein, vitamins and minerals. A four ounce raw serving has only 130 calories (20 calories from fat) with 26g protein, 2g of fat, 0.5g saturated fat, 50mg cholesterol, 70mg sodium, 0g carbohydrate and 0.36g Omega 3 fatty acid making it a perfect choice for those health conscious eaters out there.
With its mild flavor and year-round availability, yellowfin adapts well to a myriad of recipes from a simple grilled filet with herb butter to that spicy blackened Cajun entrée complete with red beans and rice. Try these yellowfin tuna recipes for a savory introduction to the great taste and versatility of this Florida favorite.
Far East Florida Pan-Seared Yellowfin Tuna
1/2 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons wasabi mustard
2 tablespoons ginger
2 cloves Florida garlic, minced
2 1-inch Florida Yellowfin tuna steaks, approximately 1 1/4 pound each
2 tablespoons olive oil
sea salt to taste
coarse black pepper to taste
sesame seeds
wasabi for dip
soy sauce for dip
Combine soy sauce, wasabi mustard, fresh ginger and garlic and pour over tuna steaks in a shallow pan.
Marinate filets in the refrigerator for 1 hour, turning once. To cook, remove filets from marinade and
season filets with salt and pepper. Sprinkle each side with sesame seeds. Heat olive oil in pan and
brown tuna steaks for 1-2 minutes on both sides, being careful to not overcook. Filets can also be
grilled over hot coals or oven grilled for 5 minutes per side. Serve with additional wasabi mustard
and soy sauce on the side as dipping sauces.
Yield: 4 servings
Nutritional Value Per Serving
Calories 378, Calories From Fat 88, Total Fat 10g, Saturated Fat 2g, Trans Fatty Acid 0,
Cholesterol 32mg, Total Carbohydrates 12g, Protein 24g, Omega 3 Fatty Acid 0.72g
Broiled Yellowfin Tuna with Sauce Dijon
2 pounds Florida yellowfin tuna steaks
1 cup olive oil
1 cup tarragon vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
3 teaspoons paprika
1 clove Florida garlic, sliced
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
paprika for garnish
Florida parsley, chopped for garnish
Sauce Dijon (recipe follows)
Place fish in shallow dish. Combine oil, vinegar, salt, paprika, garlic and cayenne; remove 1/4 cup
marinade, set aside. Pour remaining marinade over fish. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator at
least 2 hours, turn fish several times. Remove steaks from marinade, discarding marinade. Place steaks
on a lightly-oiled broiler pan. Baste top of steaks with reserved marinade and broil about 3 inches
from source of heat for 6-8 minutes. Turn steaks and baste. Broil an additional 6-8 minutes or until
fish flakes easily with a fork. Sprinkle with paprika and chopped parsley. Serve with Sauce Dijon.
Yield: 6 servings.
Nutritional Value Per Serving
Calories 270, Calories From Fat 140, Total Fat 15g, Saturated Fat 3g, Cholesterol 60mg,
Total Carbohydrate 1g, Protein 30g
Sauce Dijon
2 Florida egg yolks, beaten
3 cups water
2 tablespoons tarragon vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon Florida sugar
3 teaspoons salt
2 cups sour cream
Combine egg yolks, water, vinegar, mustard, sugar and salt; mix well. Cook over low heat stirring
constantly until thick. Stir in sour cream. Serve warm.
Yield: 1 cup.
Nutritional Value Per Serving
Calories 70, Calories From Fat 50, Total Fat 6g, Saturated Fat 3g, Cholesterol 80mg, Total
Carbohydrate 2g, Protein 2g
For more Florida seafood recipes and information about Florida seafood, visit the web sites of the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Bureau of Seafood and Aquaculture Marketing, at www.WildFloridaShrimp.com or www.FL-Seafood.com.
Note: For most people, the risk from mercury by eating fish and shellfish is not a health concern. Yet, some fish and shellfish contain higher levels of mercury that may harm an unborn baby or young child's developing nervous system. The risks from mercury in fish and shellfish depend on the amount of fish and shellfish eaten and the levels of mercury in the fish and shellfish. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) are advising women who may become pregnant, pregnant women, nursing mothers, and young children to avoid some types of fish and eat fish and shellfish that are lower in mercury. For more information about the levels in fish, see the FDA food safety web site at www.cfsan.fda.gov/~frf/sea-mehg.html or the EPA website at www.epa.gov/ost/fish.
For more information:
Barbera Turnbull
(850) 488-0163
turnbub@doacs.state.fl.us
