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Cooking with Canned Tuna
Choosing a tuna today is not an easy task. There is chunk light, chunk white, solid white albacore or premium albacore. Confusing matters more, there are now cans of select-prime light fillets and "gourmet's choice" light fillets. Chunk white or light tuna is now available reduced in sodium and lower in fat. These variations are all packed in spring water. If you do not want a fishy tasting tuna, get solid white or premium albacore. If you want a minced texture, choose chunk light. Select prime light fillets is on the mushy side while the "gourmet choice" fillets are quite firm. Low sodium chunk white tuna is popular because it has a light taste and saves 215 milligrams of salt. Many say they do not miss the salt at all.
A spokesman for Starkist says the difference in tuna taste and texture are dictated by the type of tuna in the can and what the fish is mixed with when it is cooked. Gourmet tunas tend to be yellowfin, all white tunas are albacore and the least expensive are usually skipjack.
A somewhat new type of tuna sells in pouches that do not require draining. The tuna cooks in half the time of the canned variety and has a fresher taste and firmer texture.
In a recent test comparing low salt tuna to "regular", the overall opinion was that the low salt varieties were very good and that the missing salt did not negatively affect the flavor.
Recipes:
Tuna Toss
Ingredients:
16 ounces (4 cups) penne pasta
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon bottled minced garlic
One can (6 ounces) low-sodium tuna or light tuna packed in spring water
One large can (28 ounces) diced tomatoes
1 tablespoon anchovy paste (optional, see note)
2 tablespoons tomato paste (see note)
1 teaspoon sugar
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1/3-cup of fresh parsley leaves (see note)
Directions
Place pasta in three quarts of already boiling, unsalted water. Cook until tender, about 11 to 13 minutes.
Meanwhile, pour oil into 12-inch, non-stick skillet and place over medium-high heat. Add garlic and cook one minute while draining tuna well. Add tuna and stir to flake tuna chunks. Add tomatoes with their juice.
Stir in anchovy paste (if using) tomato paste, sugar and black pepper. Stir sauce as it boils and some of the juice evaporates. Meanwhile, chop parsley and add to skillet. Let sauce boil and thicken until penne pasta is cooked. If sauce starts to stick, reduce heat to medium.
Drain penne pasta in colander and then pour pasta back into the cooking pot (off the heat). Pour sauce into pot with penne pasta and toss until penne pasta has a coating of sauce. Serve at once.
Recipe makes six servings.
NOTES: Anchovy paste will add depth, but if you do not have any, or if you are reducing your sodium intake, leave it out. Anchovy paste sells in tubes, most often in the imported food section.
Tomato paste is also available in tubes alongside foods imported from Italy. If you use canned tomato paste, refrigerate the leftover paste for later use in an airtight container for up to five days.
Parsley adds color and zing, but the recipe is good without it.
Nutritional information per serving:
Calories: 394
Carbohydrates: 64g
Protein: 17g
Fat: 9g
Cholesterol: 11mg
Fiber: 4g
Sodium: 216mg
Calories from fat: 21-percent
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Three Bean Tuscan Tuna Salad
Ingredients:
1 can (15 to 16 ounces) fava or lima beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (15 to 16 ounces) cranberry (Roman) beans or cannelloni beans, rinsed and drained
One can (8 ounces) cut green beans, drained
1 medium red onion, diced (about 1-1/2 cups)
1/2 cup bottled Italian red wine or balsamic vinaigrette
Freshly ground black pepper
1 can (12 ounces) solid pack white tuna in water or oil, drained
Directions
In a mixing bowl, combine three beans and onion. Add vinaigrette and toss to blend. Season with pepper. Add tuna and toss gently, but without breaking up pieces of tuna too much.
Recipe serves six.
Nutrition information per serving:
Calories: 230
Protein: 21g
Carbohydrates: 30g
Fat: 2g
Saturated fat: 1g
Cholesterol: 25mg
Fiber: 9g
Sodium: 720mg
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Tuna Madarin Roll-Ups
Ingredients:
1 can (12 ounces) solid white albacore tuna in water, drained
1/4 cup fat-free mayonnaise dressing
1/4 teaspoon curry powder (optional)
1 can (11 ounces) Mandarin orange segments, drained
1/3 cup finely chopped celery or chopped, rinsed and drained canned water chestnuts
4 small flour tortillas
2 cups loosely packed torn lettuce or baby spinach leaves
Directions
In medium bowl, using fork, combine tuna, mayonnaise and curry powder, if desired; mix well. Stir in oranges and celery. Spread 1/2-cup tuna mixture onto each tortilla to within 1 inch of edge, top with 1/2 cup lettuce. Roll up; serve immediately.
Recipe serves four.
Nutrition information per serving:
Calories: 329
Protein: 27g
Carbohydrates: 33g
Fat: 10g
Cholesterol: 29mg
Fiber: 2g
Sodium: 738mg
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Reduced Calorie Salad Niciose
*Cut the calories on a traditional salade nicoise (sah-LAHD nee-SWAHZ) recipe by reducing the oil and using water-pack tuna.
Ingredients:
1 pound small potatoes, sliced 1/4 inch thick
1/2 pound whole green beans or one 9-ounce package frozen cut green beans, thawed
1/3 cup lemon juice
2 tablespoons salad oil
4 teaspoons brown mustard or Dijon-style mustard
3/4 teaspoon dried dillweed
2 tablespoons water
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
Lettuce leaves
One 6-1/2-ounce can tuna (water pack), drained and broken into chunks
2 medium tomatoes, seeded and cut into chunks
1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced and separated into rings
Two hard-cooked eggs cut into wedges
Directions
In a large saucepan, bring 2 inches of water to boiling. Add potatoes and fresh green beans, if using. Cover and simmer ten minutes or just until tender. If using frozen beans, add to potatoes the last five minutes of cooking. Remove beans with a slotted spoon. Rise beans with cold water; drain. Drain potatoes. Cover and chill beans and potatoes separately for 2 to 24 hours.
Meanwhile, for dressing, in a screw-top jar, combine lemon juice, oil, mustard, dillweed, water, salt, and pepper. Cover and shake well to blend. Chill for 2 to 24 hours.
To serve, place lettuce leaves on a platter. Arrange potatoes, beans, tuna, tomatoes, onion, and eggs atop lettuce. Shake dressing and drizzle over salad.
Recipe makes four servings.
Nutrition information per serving:
Calories: 285
Total Fat: 11g
Saturated fat: 2g
Cholesterol: 120mg
Sodium: 418mg
Carbohdyrate: 30g
Fiber: 5g
Protein: 19g
Exchanges: 1.5 starch, 1.5 vegetables, 1.5 very lean meat, .5 medium-fat meat, 1 fat
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See also:
Canned Food Convenience
Food Canning Facts
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