Frozen tuna-- ways to use?

At Mitsuwa yesterday, a couple of blocks of frozen tuna found their way into my cart. (They were having a special on frozen fish.) This tuna looks like the same meat as the "tuna sashimi" but I can't be sure. It's certainly cut to the same shape as the sashimi tuna.

What would you do with frozen tuna like this? Put it on the grill or something? I almost only ever eat tuna raw. Somehow, the idea of thawing these blocks out and eating them raw does not appeal.

bibi,

I believe that some sashimi tuna that we might be served has been previously frozen, but if I were lucky enough to have a few good blocks of frozen sashimi-looking tuna, I'd probably lightly sear it and make maybe splash it with a light peppercorn or wasabi sauce.

Just curious...was it labeled in any way that might suggest you could eat it raw, like sashimi?

Hammond

David Hammond wrote:bibi,
Just curious...was it labeled in any way that might suggest you could eat it raw, like sashimi?

Hammond

It just says, "Frozen Tuna" while the sashimi tuna is labeled as such. However, it is the same shape, and comes with a packet of wasabi. Also, they had some of those frozen pieces set out to thaw right in the sashimi section. It looked an awful lot like they took sashimi portions and froze them-- which would mean the fish was frozen twice? Just confusing all around. It was about half the price of the regular sashimi tuna.

This does seem like a good candidate for searing. If it thaws and the texture seems unappealing maybe I will let it sit in mirin and soy sauce for a bit first.

bibi rose wrote: It looked an awful lot like they took sashimi portions and froze them-- which would mean the fish was frozen twice? Just confusing all around. It was about half the price of the regular sashimi tuna.

This does seem like a good candidate for searing. If it thaws and the texture seems unappealing maybe I will let it sit in mirin and soy sauce for a bit first.

I'm pretty sure the 'sashimi' blocks originated from the frozen blocks. However, I've never had much luck thawing the frozen blocks for use as sushi/sashimi, even though I know some do. The texture is off and it exudes a bit too much liquid. I think the problem with thawing in the refrigerator is too rapid a thawing - but I haven't explored this. The frozen blocks, thawed are good for a quick sear, tataki style.

sazerac wrote:The texture is off and it exudes a bit too much liquid. I think the problem with thawing in the refrigerator is too rapid a thawing - but I haven't explored this. The frozen blocks, thawed are good for a quick sear, tataki style.

If the frozen blocks are exuding too much liquid, the problem could be too slow a freezing (cell walls crack, freeze, and then ooze contents upon thawing).

Generally, I agree that if the fish has been frozen, best not to eat it raw or even ceviche-style: cook the sucker somehow.

I have the perfect recipe for this, from Lynne Rosetto Kasper's book The Splendid Table. It'll cover up flaws, yet still allow nice tuna taste to come through. I did it with some Trader Joe's tuna steaks discovered in the freezer a while back.

Basically, sear the tuna in a pan with chopped onion and parsley and some white wine. Set aside, or in the oven on a platter to keep warm. Cook chopped tomatoes and olives with the onion and parsley for a couple of minutes. Put the tuna on plates, place the winey oniony tomatoey olive stuff on top. Salt and pepper as desired.

Mike, that recipe looks great and I think it would work for a number of different kinds of fish. I'm going to read Kasper's books too-- it's high time. Thank you so much.

It's funny about the freezing. I know that tuna has usually been frozen and several other sashimi fishes probably have too-- some sashimi scallops I got the same day at Mitsuwa had clearly been frozen but they tasted fine raw that same night. (I just broke the little remaining crust of ice off them.) When I thaw fish myself, though, the quality is quite uneven. I would like to keep more frozen fish around, just to have something to take out in the morning and cook after a long day at work.

I wonder if those pieces of black cod and salmon in sauce that you buy at Mitsuwa have been frozen and thawed in the sauce.

I've been using the packaged, frozen slabs of tuna to make tuna salad or salade nicoise. An expensive tuna salad, for sure, but so outstanding, you'll never go back to canned.

For the tuna salad, I make a lemon-y, fresh mayo with olive oil and throw in capers. For the nicoise, I cover the filet in a salt and heavy pepper crust and sear in a hot-hot cast iron skillet 'til it's still just pink in the middle. Boil an egg, a coupla new potatoes, green beans, etc. Make a nicoise vinaigrette with red wine vinegar, shallot, dijon mustard, garlic, anchovy, thyme and olive oil.

David Hammond wrote:If the frozen blocks are exuding too much liquid, the problem could be too slow a freezing (cell walls crack, freeze, and then ooze contents upon thawing).

This wasn't the case really with me - those tuna blocks are pretty well frozen. I guess I meant that the texture was not proper for sushi, which I'm somewhat fussy about. I think I didn't thaw it right, but never explored it because it is simpler to buy the blocks of 'fresh' fish for sushi.

David Hammond wrote:Generally, I agree that if the fish has been frozen, best not to eat it raw or even ceviche-style: cook the sucker somehow.

Oh, David - most of the 'fresh' fish one gets has been previously frozen. Even, and I should probably say especially in some cases fish for sushi (as bibirose also writes).
The frozen block of tuna, thawed would be perfect for ceviche - the texture would be altered by the acid cooking anyway.

It seems relevant here, so I'll add that a good way to use frozen fish, especially in a dish with sauces or curry is to not thaw it, but add it to the simmering liquid directly. A significant amount of the flavor and juices then remain in the dish instead of being washed away. Of course, you have to trust your fish source. This trick I picked up in one of Rene Verdon's cookbooks.

sazerac wrote:Oh, David - most of the 'fresh' fish one gets has been previously frozen. Even, and I should probably say especially in some cases fish for sushi (as bibirose also writes).

Das, I agree that "fresh" is usually frozen (one of many lies they feed us). Got to say though, The Wife brought home some purportedly fresh trout from Costco today (five bucks a pound, not bad), and I was initially dubious, but the fillets were so marvelously, genuinely fresh, the flesh buoyant and full of flavor, made a fine dinner.

I made a ceviche from frozen fish, once, and it was just not right. Curing in the acid changes the meat, as you say, but fresh is so undeniably better…and available even in Chicago.

Hammond

Thanks for the further tips. I'm going to have to try that simmering thing. The salad idea is good too. (Salad with sliced seared tuna is my default lunch in LA.)

I have wondered about the trout at Costco. We've bought the large sea scallops (also previously frozen) a couple of time and they were surprisingly good, did not appear to have been injected with solution and did not lose noticeable liquid while being cooked. Some of the other frozen fish looks good too but the packages are very big and I would be afraid to refreeze any.

I have bought the trout there. Sometimes if you poke around you can find a single package (I'm sure that's just when they had an odd number of cuts. The other thing is to simply cook it all, eat some of it as dinner that night, the rest in salad nicoise or whatever.