Tinned Fish Club for June 2026: José Gourmet Tuna Pâté, Nuri Extra Spicy Sardines, Belevini Pacific Saury
José Gourmet Tuna Pâté
José Gourmet’s tins always come with a little extra charm, and this one starts with Mónica Correia’s blue tuna, bright and almost in motion on the box. Inside is a smooth tuna pâté made for the easiest kind of snack: toast, crackers, cucumber rounds, or whatever is nearby when appetites start circling. Tuna pâté also has a neat literary footnote.
In her 1955 cookbook Summer Cooking, Elizabeth David helped popularize a simple recipe called “Pâté of Tunny Fish,” made with tinned tuna, butter, lemon, and pepper. Before blenders were common, that meant pounding everything together by hand. Thankfully, José Gourmet has already done the work for us. Open the tin, spread it generously, and add a few capers, a cornichon, or a squeeze of lemon.
Starry Tuna Pâté Bowl
These Pretzelized Stars are back for a snack-time encore. Their salty crunch is perfect with José Gourmet's smooth tuna pâté and feels right at home in a summer box. Crush a small handful into coarse crumbs using a food processor or a sealed bag and rolling pin. Spoon the pâté into a shallow bowl, smooth the top, and sprinkle the crumbs over it just before serving. Finish with lemon zest, capers, cornichons, or parsley, then scoop with the remaining stars.
Nuri Extra Spicy Sardines
Nuri is the bright yellow cult classic from Conservas Pinhais, a historic cannery in Matosinhos preserving Portuguese sardines since 1920. Even the name comes with two charming stories. One says an Arab merchant saw the shine of the fish and exclaimed “Nuri,” a word tied to light, purity, and perfection. Another says it was inspired by Nuria, a Spanish woman loved by one of the company’s well-traveled founders. Either way, the name fits.
These sardines are still prepared and wrapped by hand, then dressed in olive oil with chili, clove, black pepper, bay leaf, cucumber, and carrot. This extra spicy version gets three piri-piri peppers per tin, then rests for at least three months so the heat can work through the fish and oil. Bold, fragrant, and properly punchy, this is Nuri with the volume turned up.
Spicy Sardine Rockets
Slice mini red snacking peppers in half lengthwise and remove the seeds. In a small bowl, mix a spoonful of mayo or Greek yogurt with a squeeze of lemon, a few capers or a minced cornichon, and black pepper. Spoon a thin layer into each pepper half, then nestle in one Nuri sardine, or half if the pepper is small. Drizzle with a little spicy oil from the tin and finish with lemon zest, parsley, chives, or a few crispy fried onions. Sweet, spicy, crunchy, and just festive enough for summer snacking.
Belevini Pacific Saury
Pacific saury has one of the best names in seafood. In Japan it’s called sanma and written with characters for “autumn,” “knife,” and “fish,” a nod to its slim, silver body and its place as a beloved seasonal catch. This North Pacific fish travels in surface schools and is known for the rich, savory flavor that makes it a favorite in many coastal kitchens. We’ve tasted saury before in Japanese kabayaki style, sweet, soy-glazed, and ready for rice. This tin shows another side of the fish: simple medallions with a mild, meaty texture that loves a hot pan. Pat them dry, give them a quick dredge, and saury turns crisp, golden, and surprisingly snackable. A little fish with plenty of spark.
Crispy Saury Sparklers
Carefully lift the saury medallions from the tin and pat dry. Dredge each piece in flour, dip in beaten egg, and fry in a thin layer of oil until golden and crisp. Mix a spoonful of mayo with a little sriracha or hot sauce and a squeeze of lemon. Use a small jar or glass to cut rounds from a flour tortilla, then swipe each round with the spicy mayo. Top with sliced cherry tomatoes, crispy saury, and parsley. Serve warm for a small, crispy bite with a little summer sparkle.
Pretzelized™ Sea Salt Pretzel Snackers
Celebrating America's 250th, these unique bite-sized snacks are the perfect complement to any tinned fish. Pretzelized™ takes traditional snacks like crackers and pita chips, soaks them in pretzel brine, then oven-bakes them for a unique, crispy salty crunch.
We love them with tinned fish dips topped them with tinned fish pâté. The star-shaped version shared here is a great addition to summer cookouts celebrating American Independence.
The world's best tinned fish, on your table every month.
Three curated tins from small canneries in Portugal, Spain, Denmark and beyond, with the recipes and maker stories that go with them.
Tinned Fish Club for August 2026: Bom Petisco Tuna in Brine, Ati Manel Garfish in Spiced Olive Oil, Fangst Brisling No. 4
Tinned Fish Club for July 2026: Kersen Kipper Fillets, Açôr Sardines in Olive Oil, Threeline Icelandic Cod Liver
