Bluefin tuna: nutritious, tasty and sought after!

Bluefin Tuna, a delicious fish rich in nutritional properties, easy to prepare and loved by children too! The bluefin tuna, also known as bluefin, is a highly sought-after variety precisely for its particularly tasty meat rich in proteins and fats. Due to its quality, there are not many artisanal companies that process it in oil: however, Spaghetti & Mandolino is able to offer some proposals of premium and sought-after bluefin tuna in oil, produced using artisanal methods that enhance its qualities, guaranteeing taste and the preservation of all the nutritional properties of the product!

The bluefin tuna in oil is often replaced, in the production of fish processed in oil, by the more common variety, yellowfin tuna. But if you are truly a fish lover and want to bring the taste of quality, fine artisanal processing to your table, then the bluefin tuna will surprise you with its intense flavor, its versatility in cooking, and its great quality.

Each proposal has been selected among the most reliable producers who work the best fish, packaged to maintain its quality intact. Directly from the Mediterranean Sea, the origin of the prized bluefin tuna, to your home! The excellence of this highly prized fish, in addition to its great quality, is also due to its rarity: the population of bluefin tuna is declining, making it an increasingly rare and expensive fish.

Bluefin Tuna: Characteristics

Bluefin tuna can reach impressive dimensions: up to three meters in length and six hundred kilograms in weight. It is named so because its meat is a deep red color. It is a variety mostly found in tropical, subtropical, or temperate seas like the Atlantic Ocean, the southern Black Sea, and the Mediterranean Sea. In any case, it is found in waters that usually have a temperature above 10 degrees. Typically, it frequents offshore waters, approaching the coast only during certain times of the year, and only near islands or promontories.

Unfortunately, due to the intensive fishing in recent decades, bluefin tuna is at risk of extinction; for this reason, there are few artisanal companies that can produce bluefin tuna preserved in oil, adhering to strict regulations that impose certain restrictions. All this, considering that it is a fish with very high nutritional values (as much as 23 grams out of 100 of edible parts are proteins), makes it a prized and expensive fish.

The most imposing specimens of bluefin tuna are particularly sought after for the preparation of sushi and sashimi, or to create gourmet dishes in high-end restaurants such as fillets, tartares, and carpacci. Surely bluefin tuna is unequivocally among the gastronomic fish excellences.

From the imposing bluefin tuna, there are various anatomical parts of interest at a culinary level, which moreover have very different characteristics and values among themselves. Certainly, the most prized part is the belly, which comes from the fattest part of the fish, surrounding the abdominal cavity, representing a muscle band rich in fat, which makes the meat soft and flavorful. Another part used is the buzzonaglia, or busonaglia, made up of the filet parts that are in direct contact with the central backbone. This is a less prized part but still tender and flavorful; it appears darker due to the abundant blood flow in that area. Finally, the tarantello or mosciame is a part obtained from the area above the belly, still nutritious and tasty. These cuts are processed following some steps: they are scaled, cleaned, washed, and cut into fillets, which are then salted. Afterwards, the meat is dried and preserved in oil.

Bluefin Tuna: Our Best Selections

We have selected the best varieties of bluefin tuna in oil from Italy, to guarantee you an absolute taste experience with such exceptional tuna!

The company Sarda Affumicati is located in Buggerru, Sardinia, and with a long experience of over 150 years, is able to offer the best product on the market. The seriousness of the company is given by the rigorous selection of both suppliers and fish products; moreover, it works according to ancient traditions, using only precious aromas from the Mediterranean scrub.

Our selection of bluefin tuna from Sarda Affumicati includes some varieties such as Buzzonaglia of bluefin tuna in olive oil, made with the fillet in contact with the central backbone. Soft and tasty, it is a Mediterranean bluefin tuna. You should definitely try the Bluefin Tuna from Sardinia in olive oil, great to enjoy as a main course to savor all its full and rich flavor! The Tarantello of bluefin tuna in olive oil is obtained from the upper part of the belly. Tasty and rich, it is exceptional to serve as an appetizer on crunchy crostini, or to pair with fresh summer salads. Finally, the Belly of bluefin tuna in olive oil: the queen among the parts of bluefin tuna, of superlative quality. For these reasons, it is advisable to enjoy it as a main course, alone, paired with fresh vegetables or alongside a salad.

From appetizers to main courses, many easy and tasty recipes with bluefin tuna!

Bluefin tuna is certainly great to enjoy alone or alongside fresh vegetables, salads, or beans and onions, to fully appreciate its characteristic flavor. It will be the king among appetizers, or a fantastic main course, even enjoyed just as it is. As an ingredient in the kitchen, bluefin tuna is a fantastic ally for creating simple and delicious recipes, suitable for the whole family. Let’s see some examples!

Bluefin tuna in appetizer with vegetables, a deliciously simple dish to prepare. You will need bluefin tuna, red and yellow peppers, peas, oil, hard-boiled eggs, and cauliflower tops. The vegetables should be blanched for a few minutes in boiling salted water, then left to cool. Next, cut them into small pieces. Combine them in a bowl with hard-boiled eggs and drained bluefin tuna in oil. Mix well, season with oil and salt, and serve on toasted hard wheat bread. Bon appétit!

We recommend another delicious appetizer: tarts with tuna mousse! You will need bluefin tuna, puff pastry, ricotta, eggs, salt, and pepper. Prepare the pastry in muffin molds and bake at 180 degrees for 15 minutes, until they are golden brown. Remove from the oven and set aside. In a mixer, blend the tuna with ricotta, egg yolk, salt, and pepper until the consistency is not frothy. Store the mousse in the fridge for 30 minutes, and with a pastry bag fill the puff pastry tarts. Now the tarts are ready to enjoy!

Now let’s move on to first courses with tagliatelle and bluefin tuna: you will need bluefin tuna, tagliatelle, cherry tomatoes, parsley, chili, oil, salt, and pepper. While cooking the pasta, blanch the cherry tomatoes in boiling water and then sauté them in a pan with oil, salt, pepper, and parsley. Next, add the tuna. Drain the pasta and combine it with the sauce. Bon appétit!

Another very tasty and aromatic first course is pasta with tuna and citrus pesto, for those who love the fresh and aromatic flavors of our beautiful country. You will need tuna, oranges, lemons, almonds, pine nuts, mint, and capers. In a bowl, prepare the orange segments with lemon juice, peeled almonds, pine nuts, a few capers, and mint. Add the tuna and blend everything with an immersion blender until obtaining a smooth cream. Cook the pasta, preferably spaghetti, drain and combine with the cream. Serve with almond slivers and mint leaves. A truly fragrant and flavorful first course!

As a main course or as an appetizer, try stuffed eggs with bluefin tuna. To prepare them, you will need bluefin tuna, eggs, mayonnaise, and capers. The eggs should be boiled and peeled; then, cut them in half, put the yolk in a bowl, and crumble it. Add the tuna, mayonnaise, and mix everything. Stuff the egg whites and garnish with capers. Simple, tasty, and inviting!

Finally, a stunning dish of vegetables and fish: zucchini with tuna. You will need bluefin tuna, zucchini, breadcrumbs, salt, and thyme. Cut the zucchini lengthwise and blanch for a few minutes. Then, scoop them out to fill with the stuffing. Set aside the flesh, to which the breadcrumbs, salt, thyme, and of course the tuna should be added. Fill the zucchini with the mixture, place them in a baking dish, and bake at 180 degrees for twenty minutes. Bake, serve, and bon appétit!

The bluefin tuna is a tasty, inviting, and nutritious fish: to be tried with the recipes and tips from Spaghetti & Mandolino!

Antonella Iannò

S&M