Is tuna a sustainable seafood choice? Well, yes and no. Whilst there are some types of tuna whose populations are on the brink of collapse, such as Bluefin, there are also other species (Albacore/Longfin and Skipjack) that can offer tuna fans a sustainable seafood fix. Find out more about the pros and cons of eating tuna.

For inspiration to cook with SASSI green-listed fish, here is Pete Goffe-Wood’s glorious recipe for smoked tuna with spiced lentils, yoghurt dressing and homemade poppadoms. Make this and we’ll be impressed. Download print-friendly version.

Ingredients for the tuna (serves 6):
6 x 200g Albacore pole-caught tuna steaks
1 Litre water
125g salt
125g brown sugar
3 sprigs thyme
2 tsp black peppercorns
4 cloves
Olive oil

Ingredients for the yoghurt dressing:
300ml Greek yoghurt
10g coriander
Juice of 1 lemon

Ingredients for the spiced black urad lentils:
250g black urad lentils
1 Litre water
30g ginger
30g garlic
1 tsp salt
1 tsp chilli powder
2 tbsp tomato purée
100g butter
1 tsp dried fenugreek leaves
50ml cream
2 tsp sugar
1 tbsp garam masala
Juice of 1 lime or lemon

Ingredients for the poppadoms:
500g cake flour
1 tbsp black onion seeds
1 tsp salt
60g butter
Hot milk

Tools:
You will need a home smoker and pasta machine.

Method for the smoked tuna:
1. Combine the water, salt, sugar and spices together in a saucepan. Bring the mixture to the boil and then remove from the heat to cool.
2. When the brine has cooled, submerge the tuna steaks in the salt solution for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, remove the tuna steaks from the brine and pat dry.
3. Drizzle the steaks with a little olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
4. Fill the smoker with oak shavings, place on the heat and smoke the tuna for 10 minutes. Remove the tuna from the smoker and leave to cool.
5. When ready to serve, finish the tuna in a pan or on a hot grill.
6. Warm the lentils and spoon onto a plate, place the tuna steak on top of the lentils and drizzle the yoghurt dressing around the outside. Garnish with poppadoms and an additional sprig of coriander.

Method for the yoghurt dressing:
1. Roughly chop the coriander and add it to the yoghurt. Add the lemon juice and season with salt and pepper.

Method for the lentils:
1. Soak your lentils overnight in water.
2. Drain the lentils and place in a saucepan with water to simmer for an hour. You want them to be soft but not falling apart.
3. Peel the ginger and garlic and blend to a paste in a liquidiser. Add the paste to the lentils with the salt and the chilli. Cook for a further minute, then add the tomato purée and butter. When the lentils are nice and thick, remove from the heat and add the remaining ingredients.

Method for the poppadoms:
1. Mix the flour and onion seeds together. Add the salt and rub in the butter. Add enough hot milk to bring the dough together into a smooth elastic ball.
2. Roll out as thin as you can go with a pasta machine; cut into small rounds and deep fry.

Pair this dish with an Oak Valley Chardonnay, and enjoy.

For more recipes using sustainable seafood, check out our Hooked to Cooked series.