Yellowfin Tuna Belly in Olive Oil

Sushi connoisseurs let other people drench slices of tuna loin in soy sauce, smiling to themselves while tucking in to the premium, fat-marbled belly of the fish. Ventresca is that same unctuous slice known as “toro” in Japanese cuisine. Olasagasti, in the Basque Region, ever so gently warms the tuna belly in extra virgin olive oil and then separates each silky fillet by hand before putting them to rest in their tins.

Olasagasti is a Basque conservas producer, deeply rooted in both the Cantabrian and the Mediterranean seas. Salvatore Orlando first set foot on the shores of Getaria, in Gipuzkoa. He was sent from his native Sicily by his father. He was one of the Italian pioneers who introduced the long-standing salting techniques on the Cantabrian coast, where it was as yet unknown. Salvatore tied the knot with a Basque woman, Simona Olasagasti, and their marriage produced six children and various companies. The products of these companies were then distributed to Italy through established family business lines in that country. Today, Matteo Orlando, grandson of Salvatore and Simona, continues the tradition of his family and honors the surname of his grandmother.

Company: Olasagasti
Ingredients: tuna belly, olive oil, salt
Country of Origin: Pais Vasco, Spain