Portuguese Pickled Tuna &
Black Olive Pate

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            FOOD FUNNY
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Here's a good one from Anna Welander:

In California's Sonoma Valley, where vineyards cater to wine snobbery, a
woman phoned the classified ad department of a newspaper. She offered
for sale what sounded like "well-aged Caumeneur." The ad-taker was
unfamiliar with that particular wine, but was used to the infusion of
French words into the local vocabulary. "Could you please spell that?"
she asked.

"You know," said the woman impatiently, "C-o-w M-a-n-u-r-e."

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            TODAY'S RECIPES
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This dish might have served as inspiration for the seviches of
Latin America, except the fish in this case is cooked before
marinating. Serve this as a first course or as the main dish in
a light meal.

Pickled Tuna (Escabeche de Atum)

1/4 cup (60 ml) olive oil
3-6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
2 lbs (900 g) boneless fresh tuna, cut into 1/2-inch (1 cm) dice

For the marinade:
2-3 onions, thinly sliced
2-4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1-2 lemons, thinly sliced
2 bay (laurel) leaves, crumbled
1/4 cup (60 ml) chopped cilantro (coriander leaves)
1/4 cup (60 ml) chopped parsley
Salt and freshly ground pepper
2/3 cup (160 ml) olive oil
1/3 cup (80 ml) red wine vinegar

Heat the oil in a large skillet over moderate heat and saute the
garlic until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Remove the garlic
with a slotted spoon and discard. Saute the tuna in batches until
cooked through, about 3 to 4 minutes for each batch. Place 1/3
of the tuna in a deep serving bowl or dish and top with 1/3 of the
onions, garlic, lemon slices, bay leaves, cilantro, parsley, salt,
and pepper. Repeat twice. Drizzle with oil and vinegar and
refrigerate covered for 24 to 48 hours. Serve chilled. Serves 4 to 6.

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This flavorful spread can also be made with green olives, but
the black olives give it a more subtle flavor.

Black Olive Pate (Pasta de Azeitonas Pretas)

1 lb (450 g) pitted black olives such as kalamatas
1 head (about 16 cloves) unpeeled garlic
Freshly ground pepper to taste

To remove some of the moisture from the olives, spread them on several
layers of paper towels, top with several more layers of paper towels,
roll up tightly and set aside. Wrap the garlic in aluminum foil and
roast in a 350F (180C) oven for 1 hour. Cool to room temperature and
peel the individual cloves. Combine the olives, garlic, and pepper in an
electric food processor and process to form a smooth paste. Serve with
thinly sliced bread or crackers. Serves 4 to 6.
Received on Mon Mar 12 06:38:28 2007