Tuna maintains its place as one of the most desired seafood in the world. Widely celebrated as the “chicken of the sea,” tuna is a prominent item in many restaurant menus.
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Its most loved version is Tuna Salad, which almost always tastes better in restaurants than at home. But after reading this article, not anymore!
Why Is Tuna So Attractive?
First, it is lovely to behold. Those chunks of fish lying side by side with those beautiful lines in a can of oil are a sight for sore eyes.
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But more importantly, tuna is loved for its versatility. It goes well with lots of our favorite meals. From pasta to pizza, sushi, dips, salads — you name it—they are hardly ever out of place.
Tuna Also Has Super Impressive Health Benefits
Tuna doesn’t just bless your taste buds, it has numerous advantages for your health too. Starting from the more obvious benefits, tuna is low in calories and high in proteins. This is good news for the weight watchers.
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In addition, tuna helps the heart, boosts skin and eye health, enhances circulation, reduces blood pressure, and fights kidney disease. Also, it strengthens the bones and helps prevent cancer and stroke.
Tuna Salad is a Popular Choice
Of all the amazing food that can come out from tuna, tuna salad ranks prominently high on the list. This light, fresh, and super-rich food will leave you entranced for seconds after your first bite.
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Tuna salad doesn’t require too much. Just a few ingredients here and there such as canned tuna, onion, mayonnaise, and celery, and you are good to go.
How to Make the Restaurant Standard Tuna Salad
If you are used to tuna salads in restaurants, you would probably admit that they taste so much different and more delicious than homemade ones. There have been pretty robust discussions on online platforms about restaurant recipes.
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Given that tuna salad preparation doesn’t require high sophistication or expertise, it’s therefore a wonder why the restaurant versions are miles ahead. Let’s find out.
What’s the Difference?
As is usually the case between restaurant-style food and homemade ones, there are multiple reasons for their differences. In the case of tuna, let’s begin with the grade of fish.
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Restaurants gain the upper hand by choosing their fish carefully because quality always matters. Expert preparation will hardly amount to much if the main ingredient is subpar. Getting it right in the choice of tuna is essential.
Which Tuna is the Highest Quality?
One of the secrets behind restaurant-style tuna is that they come fresh from the fish market or fishmonger. So, most restaurants prepare their tuna themselves before embarking on the tuna salad venture.
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While all restaurants can’t afford to buy them fresh, it offers a giant head-start to those that can. Even though it’s more energy and time-consuming, chefs who love perfection don’t mind.
Don’t Turn Your Back on Canned Tuna Just Yet
Contrary to what you might be thinking, many restaurants make use of canned tuna and still come up with great-tasting tuna salads. They mostly go for imported ones, with a special preference for the solid and white albacore tuna.
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It possesses a milder flavor and a much firmer texture — two special and superior qualities. Texture is a major factor in the enjoyment of food. You’ll learn more on this ahead.
The Smallest of Details Are Crucial
In preparing meals, experienced chefs know that it’s the little details that matter. That’s why when making tuna salads, chefs make smaller and uniform onion dice as it enhances the flavor and improves its look. Seeing onions of varying sizes is such a turn-off.
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Also, the celery should be a little larger (we recommend a one-quarter-inch size) in order to maintain its crisp texture.
Allow the Tuna Salad Some Rest Time
Restaurants prepare their tuna salad in large quantities when customers request them. On the contrary, homemade ones are usually eaten almost immediately after preparation.
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Food experts have noticed that the long waiting periods between preparation and service make restaurant tuna salads taste better. That’s because the ingredients have enough time to mix and blend into one another. Try making your tuna salads much earlier and notice the difference in taste.
Restaurants are More Creative in Choosing Ingredients
Restaurant chefs love to experiment a lot because cooking is more than just an art. So, they tend to be more unconventional in their choice and use of ingredients. You can take a cue from them.
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Chefs use peculiar ingredients such as pickled jalapenos, minced anchovy, fish sauce, fennel, and olive tapenade. Don’t be scared of experimenting with your tuna salad. Who knows what amazing discovery you could stumble upon?
Pay Attention to Texture
Restaurant chefs are mindful of the texture of their tuna salads. You should too. That’s a crucial factor in the enjoyment of food. To balance the soft texture of mayonnaise-rich tuna salads, some chefs introduce ingredients such as diced celery to produce a crispy feel.
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Other methods include the addition of lettuce or diced apple. In addition, some others toast the bread. Cheers to more fun and enjoyable tuna salads!
