Tinned Fish Club for June: 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.
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.
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.
Pretzelized™ Sea Salt Pretzel Snackers
Celebrating America's 250th, these unique bite-sized snacks nare 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.
Tinned Fish Club for June: José Gourmet Tuna Pâté, Nuri Extra Spicy Sardines, Belevini Pacific Saury
Tinned Fish Club for May: Ramirez Lulas de Caldeirada, Cabo de Peñas Filetes de Caballa del Sur, Old Riga Smoked Sprats Pâté
