Chuck Charlie

Jim Dixon, yurt-owner, olive oil and salt maven, and an adept at a myriad of other hyphenated pursuits, gives us a reason to never open another tin of tuna.

Olive Oil Poached Albacore

New Seasons sells frozen-at-sea Oregon albacore, and I can usually find a pack of what might be called “steaks” instead of the more common “loins” (there’s no loin on a fish, of course, but that’s what the dressed fillets from these smaller tuna resemble). I like the steak cuts because they’re easy to fit into the bottom of a saucepan in a single layer. You can do this with the loins, too, but it requires some knife work.

However you get there, once you have the fish in the pan (and you want a tight fit), add enough oil to barely cover it and turn the burner on as low as it goes. When the oil just begins to bubble a bit, turn off the heat, cover, and let sit for about 45 minutes. This is great hot, or store the cooked albacore with the olive oil used for poaching in the refrigerator and use for salads or fantastic tuna sandwiches.