Tuna Hot Pandesal

I was rummaging through old recipe index cards that I collected over the years from every possible source I got my hands on. I was thinking of an easy breakfast dish to prepare which ended up as a snack today. It was good in my opinion because the olives gave the usual tuna spread a twist on the taste :D. I told my brother to heat the whole thing in the toaster oven. He said, "No need, it will be good as is." I guess it was since he finished his snack.
Pandesal (small buns) was a substitute to the original recipe that required hot dog buns. First I didn't had any in the pantry. Second, I was preparing this as a snack.

Ingredients:

1 can tuna flakes, drained
5-6 pcs. pitted olives, minced
1 onion, minced
2 - 3 hard boiled eggs, chopped
1/3 cup to 1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup quick melt cheese, sliced into cubes
salt to taste
10 hot dog buns or 15-20 pcs. pandesal

In a bowl, mix tuna, olives, onions, cheese and mayonnaise. Add eggs and salt to taste. Place about 1 1/2 tbsps. of the mixture in the hotdog buns or about 1 tbsp. for pandesal. Place on a cookie sheet and wrap with foil. Toaste for about 8 minutes to 10 minutes in 300F or until the bread is heated or cheese has slightly melted. Serve.

Notes: Depending on the preference, onions may be white or red. The white ones give a sweeter taste while the red ones are more stronger. I personally omitted the salt since I used tuna flakes in brine.

Notes in buying and handling fresh tuna

In my previous post, I shared with you a recipe that called for tuna. I decided to share with you a collection of notes when purchasing fresh tuna to avoid from food poisoning. This is not complete and these are just some notes gathered as I learn the process of handling food properly.

Tips when buying fresh tuna:
1. Look for tuna steak with coloring similar to raw beef
2. Avoid with dry or brown spots. There should be no rainbow sheen on the fish.
3. The smell should be "ocean-fresh".
4. If the fish will not be immediately used, quickly store it in the coldest part of the freezer until it is ready to use. Ideal temperature would be -4 degrees F (-20 degrees C).

How to store fresh tuna:
There are several ways to store tuna until it is ready to be used.

a. Prepare a solution made of 1 tablespoon ascorbic acid crystals to 1 quart of water or 1/4 cup salt in 1 quart water. Dip the fish in the solution to firm it up. Seal in plastic wrap and then in a zip-top bag.

b. To store it, pat dry, secure the meat in plastic wrap or foil. Seal in a zip-top bag.

c. Freeze the zip-top bag in a container filled with water. Squeeze out all the air and seal the bag. Freeze this up to three months.

To thaw frozen tuna:
Place the sealed package in a container with cold water. Do not use the microwave to thaw.

Mishandled tuna may lead to histamine poisoning, with symptoms such as tightness in the chest and difficulty breathing, a rash, facial flushing, headaches and a metallic or peppery taste in the mouth.

When you feel confident and comfortable, maybe you can try the Pan-seared Yellowfin Tuna with Wasabi-Parsley Sauce in my previous post.

Pan-Seared Yellowfin Tuna with Wasabi-Parsley Sauce

My aunt came to visit us and I decided to prepare a seafood dish for her. I saw a recipe in one of the cook books my sister bought but never used :D. I have been wanting to try this ever since I saw this and this was the best opportunity to test my skills. I have succeeded so far by not overcooking the fish and the sauce came out well with a few adjustments in the recipe. The original recipe called for dill for the sauce, but I couldn't find any after scouting numerous groceries. So I decided to replace it with the herbs I have and that would be parsley. (The second time I made this with dill, my brother wasn't a fan. He preferred the first batch.)

Let me know what you think is better?

Ingredients:
750 grams yellowfin fresh tuna, sliced into 1/3" thick fillets
salt and pepper
1/2 lemon
olive oil or canola oil

For the sauce:
1 small container for the yoghurt
2 tbsps. full cream milk
2 tsps. wasabi paste
2 tbsps. chopped parsley
a pinch of pepper
1/4 - 1/2 tsp. salt

Mix all the ingredients for the sauce very well until all ingredients are well blended. Store the sauce in the refrigerator until we are ready to serve.

Season the tuna fillets with salt and pepper on both sides. Sprinkle with lemon juice and let it sit for about 3 - 4 minutes. Heat a flat pan and place about 2 tbsps. of oil. Once the oil is hot, pan sear on side of fillets until slightly brown but not cooked through, roughly a minute will do). Flip the fish and sear the other side for another minute. Try not to cook the fish through else it may be over cooked. The center should remain redish-pink. Quickly transfer the fish to a serving plate and serve the sauce on the side. (You may pour the sauce over the fish but with respect for others who are not fond with wasabi, I opt to serve the sauce on the side and let them get as much sauce they want.)