If you believe that seafood and dairy should never mix, you're likely not a fan of tuna melts with melted cheese or tuna salads with some parmesan or sour cream. However, you don't have to miss out on flavor and richness in your tuna dishes, because grated egg yolk provides a similar effect as cheese, without the dairy.

Much like funky cheeses, egg yolks are a great source of savory umami flavors due to their high amino acid content, but unlike hard aged cheeses, egg yolks stay velvety and soft in all kinds of dishes, especially when cured. Salt-curing egg yolks is a simple process that has long held a place in Asian and other international cuisines.

To cure egg yolks, separate the whites from the yolks, line a tray with kosher salt, and make little pockets for the egg yolks to rest. Carefully deposit the yolks into the depressions, delicately cover them in more salt, and leave them to rest in the fridge for several days until they become firm, after which you should brush off the salt.

The solidified yolks should be left to dry for another day or two, after which they'll be easy to grate into cheese-like shreds or shavings with an intense umami flavor. When left whole or sliced in half, the yolks have a smooth and luscious quality that rivals mayonnaise, and they add a pop of sunny color to your tuna recipes.