Tuna fish cakes (Gluten and Dairy Free Fish Recipe)

My Mum suffers from coeliac disease, which is an auto immune disease caused by gluten that effects the stomach. The means that sufferers cannot eat gluten (wheat, rye, oats and barley) because the stomach reacts badly to it and begins to stop digesting food properly (in basic terms). It is estimated to effect 1% of the western world suffers from the disease and is often undiagnosed (or misdiagnosed) until adult life when symptoms such as weight loss, stomach pain and fatigue occur. It might sound like a problem, but with an adjusted diet most coeliac sufferers improve very quickly.

Gluten Free Tuna Fish Cakes
This recipe is dedicated to all the coeliac fish lovers out there, but anyone can enjoy this recipe because it tastes so good! It is my go to meal as it is very easy to prepare and the ingredients are almost always in the fridge or cupboard!

For this recipe you will need:
3 Large Potatoes
1 Large Tin of Tuna
Spring Onion
1/2 Cup of cornflour
1 Egg

The following video shows the preparation process quite clearly. Enjoy!

How to catch tuna

Tuna are one of the most popular fish on the planet and unfortunately this has lead to a population demise that is almost unrivaled in the salt water. Fortunately many countries are taking a tougher stand on commercial tuna fishing and the fish are slowly becoming a worthwhile target for recreational anglers.

Fishing for tuna
There is no doubt that most of the tuna species get pretty big and at the larger sizes are a big game fishing target. However, these days most anglers like to tackle these fish on relatively light line and stand up tackle.

One of the most popular methods of fishing for tuna is trolling with feather jigs, small squid imitations, live or fresh dead bait and even hard bodied lures. Outriggers are often used for this form of fishing and where fertile bait grounds exist the tuna will follow.

Another popular method for catching tuna is to drift (or anchor) and start a chum line (burley trail) and wait for the fish to show. Once the fish arrive the anglers send a baited hook into the trail to temp the fish into biting. Chum or bait fish styled flies also work well in this situation.

Sightcasting small lures or flies to tuna is also popular in some parts of the world and can be a very effective method.

Best bait for crabs

Best bait for crabs

I know a few really serious crab anglers who guard their secret crab bait or concoction with their life. I have even heard of serious fights between crab anglers over which crab bait is better than the other and it all seems a bit silly really.

To understand what makes a top quality crab bait you need to understand the feeding habits of crabs and, in particular, what actually makes up their main diet. I have recently written a post titled what do crabs eat, which might be a good place to start. For those that want to skip ahead without reading the main points are that crabs feed mainly on plant matter and alive or fresh dead animal matter. That doesn't mean you should start adding dead wood to your crab nets just yet though! Contrary to popular belief crabs are not more attracted to rotting fish because of the smell and fresh bait is always a better choice. Adding tuna oil will help to attract the crab to the area.

Top crab baits include

• Fresh fish (whole or carcus)
• Fresh chicken pieces (these can also be spiced up with tuna oil)
• Tin of tuna with some holes punched in the top (this is not quite as effective, but is very convenient and not as messy)

Other strange crab baits

I tend to stick with the more traditional baits, but some crab anglers swear by these strange and unusual baits.

• Dog food tin with holes punched into the can
• Unscented soap (not recommended)
• Dry dog food rings

Tuna fishing video

Tuna are a great fish and can be a tough adversary on the right gear. They are known for their stubborn fight and circling motion under the boat. Unfortunately people also like eating tuna and the stocks right around the world have dwindled from the overfishing that has taken place. There are far less places to tangle with a big tuna than there were years ago, but locations where big tuna are caught can still be found. New Zealand is one of these places and is where this video comes from. We Aussies might think they are a bit mad at times, but you have to admire them for their excitement and passion for what they are doing! There is some insane action on this video and is worth a watch!

Follow the link to youtube to see the action

http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=PobGQMZZpoA

Kayak fishing video (record tuna)

I have always admired people who fish from kayaks. This is probably because where I live big aggressive crocodiles are common and they would have no problem tipping over a kayak to eat the occupant! Fortunately big crocodiles aren't present all over the world and there is plenty of good kayaking waters ripe for the fishing.

I found this great little video on youtube today of a guy catching a tuna from a kayak, which just so happens to be a 70 pound kayak fishing record tuna! It is a well presented video and if you are into kayak fishing or big tuna then it is well worth watching!

Canned tuna recipes

After my post yesterday I thought I would add some tuna recipes to my blog and if you use the light canned tuna like the post suggests you will most likely not have any problems. Remember that fish is still part of a balanced diet.

I have tried to gather some of the easier recipes. These recipes are great for unexpected guests or a quick meal. I am no chef, but even I can make these!

Tuna Balls

INGREDIENTS

• 1 (6 ounce) can tuna, drained and flaked
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 3/4 cup chopped pecans
• 1/4 cup chopped onion

DIRECTIONS

1. In a medium bowl, blend tuna, cream cheese, 1/2 the pecans and onion. Shape into a ball or loaf. coat with remaining pecans. Refrigerate until serving.

Quick tuna salad

INGREDIENTS

• 1 (7 ounce) can solid white tuna packed in water, drained
• 1/4 cup creamy salad dressing (such as Miracle Whip™)
• 1 tablespoon sweet pickle relish, or to taste

DIRECTIONS

1. Mash tuna together with salad dressing and relish in a small bowl with a fork. Serve.

Finally I found this video of an old favorite Tuna Noodle Casserole - enjoy.



Thanks to allrecipes.com for the yummy tuna dishes.

Tuna fish and mercury

In recent times there has been some controversy about fish and mercury and the often confusing news reports do not help to clear up matters. Currently there are warnings that have been released for the bigger predatory pelagic fish that seem to have a mercury accumulation problem. This happens because these bigger fish eat many smaller fish with trace amounts of mercury and the mercury level accumulates in the bigger fish. The fish that carry some level of risk include (but are not limited to):

• Shark
• Swordfish
• King Mackerel
• Tilefish
• Some tunas (bigeye, ahi, yellowfin and canned albacore) other tunas are safe in moderate amounts.
• Marlin
• Orange Roughy

It is important to remember that all fish contains levels of mercury and fish consumption (particularly when pregnant should be monitored). Low levels of fish consumption should not be a problem.

What about tuna?
Tuna can be classified as a medium to high risk fish and consumption should be monitored. Eating light canned tuna seems to be the lowest risk option at the moment and is listed under the "eat moderately" banner of the FDA.

Why is mercury bad
Mercury is a natural substance, but high levels can have adverse side effects. It is a poison for the nervous system. Exposure during pregnancy is of most concern, because it may harm the development of the unborn baby’s brain. Some studies suggest that small increases in exposure may affect the heart and circulatory system.

What to do?
Remember that eating fish is part of a healthy diet. If you are pregnant eat fish from the low risk category and monitor your intake.

Low risk fish (FDA list)
Enjoy these fish:
Anchovies
Butterfish
Catfish
Clam
Crab (Domestic)
Crawfish/Crayfish
Croaker (Atlantic)
Flounder
Haddock (Atlantic)
Hake
Herring
Mackerel (N. Atlantic, Chub)
Mullet
Oyster
Perch (Ocean)
Plaice
Pollock
Salmon (Canned)
Salmon (Fresh)
Sardine
Scallop
Shad (American)
Shrimp
Sole (Pacific)
Squid (Calamari)
Tilapia
Trout (Freshwater)
Whitefish
Whiting

If you have any further questions feel free to leave a comment

Fish Profile - Bluefin Tuna

Typical Habitat
Bluefin are a migratory species that are believed to roam according to food availability, water temperature and spawning habits. Very little is known about their patterns. Some scientists theorize that Western Atlantic bluefin will migrate between North Carolina and New England, following schools of baitfish, until they reach sexual maturity at age four or five. After that, it is believed that they migrate to the Gulf of Mexico to spawn, and return to the NC waters in wintertime.

Angling Tips
Catching giants by rod and reel requires the largest of high quality reels spooled often with 200 lbs. test line. The two primary methods are trolling with rigged natural baits or artificial squids on spreader bars and bait fishing on anchor with live baits or chunks of local prey such as herring or mackerel. The movements of bluefin are highly variable and there are numerous ways to lose a hooked giant. Therefore, catch rates are typically low in this fishery. This fact does not diminish the enthusiasm shown among anglers. The expenditures by thousands of hopeful anglers pursuing bluefin tuna in Massachusetts is an economic force in itself. Smaller bluefin tuna are fished in similar patterns as the giants, with a downsizing of rod and reel size and line strength to match the target.

Eating Quality
If you are going to keep one for the table take care to bleed and chill your catch quickly. Tuna should be carefully gutted also soon after capture. The bright red flesh is excellent on the grill after marinating in your favorite concoction. Be sure not to over cook and dry out the flesh. This type of tuna lends itself well to sushimi and can be eaten raw using wasabi and soy to garnish and spice the ancient ritual.