Tuna and blue crab were highlighted at the recent Chef’s Seafood Symposium held at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science, Gloucester Point. PhD candidate Willy Goldsmith spoke on the topic, “Think Outside the Can: Global Tuna Fisheries and You,” and then Chef Jay Choe demonstrated how to prepare the tuna.
Choe, executive chef at Hayashi Sushi & Grill in Newport News, emphasized how important it is to have good fresh tuna in order to make delicious tuna sushi. Grade #1 tuna, sometimes called sushi tuna, should be a bright red color with no brown or black spots, extremely fresh with a fine and smooth texture. This type of tuna is usually from tuna weighing 60 pounds or larger. “Japan is the home of tuna and where it brings the best price. A tuna there once brought $2,995. You can imagine what a consumer paid once it reached a restaurant’s menu.” Choe added, “I usually recommend sesame oil when making sushi, but any oil will do as well.&rdq...