Chef Michael Symon’s Cured Tuna
We know the man has a way with pig.
After all, whenever you see Chef Michael Symon on TV, he’s usually talking or cooking pork. Who can blame this Midwestern chef with his acclaimed Cleveland restaurants, Lola and Lolita, for having such a porcine love affair?
There’s a whole lot more than pig in his new cookbook, “Michael Symon’s Live to Cook” (Clarkson Potter). Sure, you’ll find the likes of roasted rack of pork with grilled peaches and chestnut honey vinaigrette, not to mention pappardelle with pig’s head ragu.
But you’ll also find everything from sheep’s milk ravioli with brown butter and almonds, and veal chop Milanese with arugula salad to the colorful “Lightly Cured Tuna with Olives, Orange, and Shaved Fennel” (photo above).
Sushi-grade tuna is cured in olive brine, of all things, for spectacular results in this Japanese-meets-Mediterranean dish. This first course is light, bright and so very vibrant.
Learn how to make this dish by reading my review on ProjectFoodie.com, where I also let you in on how I met Symon for the first time just after he won the first season of “The Next Iron Chef.”
Another Great Fish Dish: Fish Cakes with Caper-Parsley Sauce
An Asian Dish Using Dried Fish: Steamed Pork Cake (hom yu jing jiu yok bang)
Another Can’t-Be-Beat Citrusy Main Course: Fennnel: Braised Pork with Orange and Fennel
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Wednesday, 20. January 2010 7:32
Lovely post Carolyn. I enjoy Michael Symon’s way with food.
Wednesday, 20. January 2010 10:28
Great article! Would olive brine from a jar also work? I have a jar of olives at home and also fennel! I would just need to pick up an orange and tuna, if the jar thing works OK. btw, that picture is so beautiful! The colors are so stunning – I thought it was grapefruit at first.
Wednesday, 20. January 2010 12:23
Jen: I think brine in the jar would be just fine, as it’s probably the same type of brine at the help-yourself olive bars in supermarkets. Let me know what you think of the dish when you try it.
Wednesday, 20. January 2010 14:14
Great post…nice picture!
Wednesday, 20. January 2010 15:45
This dish sounds fantastic, and the colors are gorgeous. Interesting use of olive brine.
Wednesday, 20. January 2010 16:38
Beautiful rendition of Symon’s cured tuna recipe. Reminds me I need to start cooking from that book pronto!
Wednesday, 20. January 2010 17:23
This is definitely one we’ll try. We get great, fresh albacore regularly from our fisherman. This will do it justice!
Wednesday, 20. January 2010 18:32
Sounds delicious! And amazing photo as always!
Wednesday, 20. January 2010 21:55
We are brining fools and will be trying that tuna in olive brine.
Wednesday, 20. January 2010 23:12
That looks divine and an interesting way of curing the tuna too! Thank you so much for sharing it (and GORGEOUS pic!). Is it ok to eat my computer screen now?
Thursday, 21. January 2010 8:47
The tuna sounds fantastic, really a gorgeous dish! Loved reading the article!
Friday, 22. January 2010 9:38
This sounds fabulous–healthy and refreshing too. Yum.
Friday, 22. January 2010 14:28
Oh yum, this all sounds amazing. Can’t wait to try it!
Sunday, 24. January 2010 5:14
Oh that looks wonderful!
Sunday, 24. January 2010 13:07
although as a rule i prefer mr symon’s piggy dishes, this is a refreshing alternative. don’t tell anyone, but i think i have a crush on that quirky bald man.