Tuna – Grow. Cook. Eat.

July 28, 2010

Cantaloupe-Cucumber Salsa

Every summer of my childhood, my family drove to Rehoboth, DE for a week-long respite from the Washington, DC heat. About an hour from the shore, we’d stop at Elmer’s Farm Stand. We’d load up on tomatoes, corn and cantaloupes. The corn was boiled for dinner. The tomatoes were slathered in mayonnaise and sandwiched between two slices of toast for lunch. And the cantaloupes were cut into wedges for breakfast. If we were feeling frisky we’d sprinkle blueberries on top.

Though cantaloupe shouldn’t be cooked, it’s certainly more versatile than my childhood experiences would suggest. Their firm texture is juicy and definitely sweet, but less cloying and floral than honeydew, making it perfect for savory preparations, where just a touch of sweetness is desired. Classically, it’s paired with prosciutto for an Italian style summer appetizer. Alternatively, you can puree the melon with mint for a refreshing soup to start a meal.

Even Star’ Farm grows the varietal: Edisto. It was named after the island off the North Carolina coast, so famed for its cantaloupe. It’s extremely aromatic, very sweet, with good texture. It has a florally perfume, almost like a gardenia.
You can tell it's ripe when the skin underneath the outer "netting" turns from green to yellow-ish.

When serving melon in a savory preparation, it’s easy to peel the melon whole.

First, cut off the ends.

Stand it up on one of the newly flat edges. Cut around the edges with a large knife.

Cut the melon in half and scoop out the seeds.

Last night, we made a cantaloupe salsa to serve alongside seared tuna.

Cantaloupe Salsa
½ cantaloupe
1 cucumber
1 small onion
1 tsp. fresh ginger, chopped
1 tbs fresh mint or cilantro – of combination of the two
1 lime juiced
Salt and pepper to taste
½ tsp sriracha or 1 small chile

1. Peel cantaloupe and cut into a fine dice. If large cucumbers with tough skins (or commercial, waxed cucumbers), peel cucumbers. Scoop out the seeds. Chop fine. Dice the onion, and herbs.

2. Mix cantaloupe, onion, cucumber, ginger and herbs together. Season with lime juice, salt, pepper and chili paste if desired.

Serve with grilled tuna or salmon.

Thanks to Bella for taking photos!

March 23, 2010

Super Fresh

I never know what sort of adventure awaits me when I visit the farm. Brett may have a chicken “matanza” scheduled, some great tomato at peak harvest, or a wild animal that made its way into the walk-refrigerator.

This time it was (a rather tame) tuna belly that a friend had recently caught on a fishing trip. It was already a few days old by the time we got it, but even still, it was fresher than anything we could have gotten at the fish market.

And perfect for eating raw – as sushi or tartar. The tuna was a paler red than what I usually see at the market – this is from the fat that’s imperceptibly marbled through the meat. The tuna was more tender, and the taste more luscious.

When cooking on the farm, we make do with what’s on hand. He and his family prefer maki rolls. Their well-stocked pantry has plenty of rice, nori (seaweed) and wasabi on hand, making this an easy, go-to meal.

Our maki rolls were not traditional – I did not properly fan the rice as it cooled so it would glisten, though I did season it with rice vinegar, salt and sugar. I seasoned the tuna with a little soy sauce before rolling.

After using all the nori to make rolls, we still had some tuna. I used lettuce leaves instead to wrap the remainder.

An old favorite is tuna timbale with avocado and smoked salmon. Brett had a few ripe avocadoes, but no smoked salmon. The avocado was seasoned with scallions, cilantro, a touch of chipotle and lime juice. The tuna was seasoned with soy sauce and scallions. For an extra layer of color, I garnished the plate with a few sprigs of the greenhouse lettuce and a drizzle of wasabi. If I had wasabi peas, I would have sprinkled a few on the plate for textural contrast and a quick shot of heat.

January 31, 2009

Tuna Burger Makes Five

When Four Burgers opened in Central Square last summer, they featured… you guessed it…. four burgers: beef, turkey, salmon and veggie. They had always intended for a feature fifth, seasonal burger. But with the hecticness of starting a new business, they had to delay that… until now!

Finally, with a little help from Julia Shanks Food Consulting , they have added that fifth burger to the menu.

Ahi Tuna, Nicoise Style — with Roasted Tomatoes, Olive Tapenade
and Green Bean Slaw

Perhaps, I’m a little bias, but it’s a great burger. Fresh herbs season the tuna. Can you see they cooked it beautifully to medium rare? It’s topped with an olive tapenade and slow roasted tomatoes. The slaw on the side pulls in the green beans typical with a nicoise salad.

You can visit Four Burgers at 704 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA.

They are also taking requests for other burger specials. Leave a comment here, or email: info@fourburgers.com

For those of you who don’t live in the Cambridge area, you can make your own tuna burger at home:

Tuna Burgers
2 pounds fresh tuna, finely chopped
2 scallions, cut into rounds
1 tablespoons fresh tarragon, chopped
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Tapenade
1 cup pitted nicoise olives
1 anchovy filet
1 teaspoon capers
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive

Green Bean Slaw
1/4 pound haricot verts or green beans
1 cup shredded cabbage
1 carrot, peeled and shredded
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon mustard
1 teaspoon tarragon, chopped
1 teaspoon capers, chopped
salt and pepper to taste

6 buns, toasted
6 slices tomatoes

1. Gently mix the tuna with remaining burger ingredients. Divide into 6 portions and form into patties, about 1 inch thick. Set aside.

2. Put tapenade ingredients in a food processor and blend until coarsely chopped.

3. Combine all ingredients for the slaw. Set aside.

4. Heat a grill pan over high heat. Sear tuna on one side for 3 minutes, or until golden brown. Cook on second side for 3 more minutes.

5. Serve burgers on a toasted bun with a smear of tapenade and a slice of tomato. Garnish the plate with the slaw.