Atlantic bluefin tuna

Until the first half of the twentieth century in Sicily, the arrival of bluefin tuna near to the shores marked the most important time of the year, when local communities depended on tuna for their food supply.  Due to the tuna’s massive size, its fishing has traditionally entailed the observance of a ritual involving all members of the community.

In the “tonnare” (tuna fisheries), the “mattanza” (slaughter) provided the raw material for numerous tuna products – the so-called “tonnara” products – such as canned tuna in oil, bottarga (the pressed and salted roe), milt and the highly prized ventresca (belly meat).

The meat of this tuna is very firm and compact, and when cut into slices it can be cooked in many ways, grilled or stewed. Indeed, there are numerous local recipes that use fresh bluefin tuna in a variety of guises, all of which are best enjoyed during the fishing season in spring.