Friday, June 11, 2010

Tuna Cakes

I really like crab cakes. Of course fake crab or Krab as it is sometimes called, is in everything from sushi to Chinese food. You must be really careful with this so called food. It sent me into a 3 day hell when I ate it a few weeks ago. So not worth it. Again, if you live in a coastal town, shame on you for even thinking about eating anything but real crab. But since I am on a budget and don't want to waste precious crab on my kids picky palettes, I attempted something new...a Tuna Cake. (this is a completely on the fly recipe by yours truly) This is not a mayonnaise filled concoction. It isn't super moist, but crunchy on the outside, and meaty on the inside. In fact, I think it would be a great substitute for a hamburger. It's more akin to a burger....so enjoy. By the way, almond meal does not have a strong flavor. You will barely even notice that it's not breadcrumbs.

2 cans of tuna drained
1 cup of almond meal (1/2 in mixture and 1/2 for coating)
2 eggs
1/2 cup chopped parsley (parsley is soo good for you but you could reduce this amount if you want)
1/2 tbls of butter
2 celery stalks finely chopped
1 shallot or 1 half of a small onion finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
freshly ground pepper

First melt butter in fry pan and saute your celery and shallot. Next combine remaining ingredients into a bowl and add sauteed vegetables after they have cooled a little. Mix until incorporated. Heat 1/4 inch of oil in frypan (it just gives better crunch, you could use less, but these bad boys are not held together with gluten so it's important to get that really crunchy crust). While oil is heating to medium, make hand 1/4 cup sized patties. Dip in almond meal that has a bit of salt and pepper incorporated into it and coat both sides. Fry for 2 minutes a side or until golden brown.

These things are great and crunchy on the outside. Real crab would be so much better, but this is good too. I'm always looking for a good use of canned tuna and this does a great job. We rounded out the meal with brown rice and some organic green beans.

Changing directions...

So now I will begin posting my adventure into Celiac disease and cooking without wheat. I have a big family and have to cook things they will actually eat. I have some really picky eaters, so check back and see if you could incorporate some of these recipes into your everyday meal planning.