Summer’s always an exciting time of the year in the kitchen, with such a wealth of ingredients to use. But you can’t get much better than June to October, when the mighty migratory Albacore tuna pass close to the Cornish coast. They weigh around 15kg, are roughly 100 cm long and bullet-shaped: their firm, pale flesh is closer to the colour of chicken than to the redness of Bluefin or Yellowfin tuna.
Some other tuna are more suited to sashimi or searing, as cooking tends to turn them grey, but the Albacore’s density and colour make it ideal for cooking. I personally still like it rare but, if you prefer it well done, you can get away with it without damaging its colour or consistency, so it works well in a wide range of dishes.
At the Olive Tree, I serve it pink with pickled vegetables and yuzu dressing, but one that springs to mind would be on the summer barbecue, with a light covering of oil and a sprinkle of the Moroccan spice Ras el hanout. Simply barbecue and finish it with a little olive oil and lime.
Anyway, sun’s coming out, I’m off to try it. Good luck …
