No Mayo Tuna Salad!
Ok, so I know this isn't very seasonal with Thanksgiving around the corner but we enjoy this recipe so often that I had to share anyway!
I grew up with a stepfather that loved Tuna Salad and because he loved it and because he was my ‘step father’, I HATED it! To be fair, he was a good man, complicated and conflicted in many ways but he was kind. Anyway, my 10 year old self hated anything he enjoyed simply out of immature principal and because somehow it was a betrayal of my own father. Plus his tuna salad was always dowsed in mayonnaise and smelled of something awful! Now fast-forward 25 years and it turns out that tuna is quite good for you, an easy affordable meal and pretty versatile! So I set out to create a tuna salad with the flavor profiles that I enjoy. This recipe is simple and really flexible as you can pretty much use any herbs you have on hand; chives, parsley, green onions, even basil would be good. Sometimes I even use all of the aforementioned but you have to like herbs for this.
My favorite way to serve this is on a slice of crunchy Kalamata Olive Bread with a drizzle of balsamic on the bread and a handful of arugula then topped with sliced hard boiled eggs! If you want to skip the carbs it is also just as delicious served over top a bed of arugula or your favorite lettuce greens as fresh light salad. I love making this for company because it is so simple yet delivers on taste and plates beautifully! Pair it with some white wine for an afternoon lunch and you'll be sure to impress without a whole lot of fuss.
XO
Lucy
Ingredients:
1 Can of Solid White Tuna in olive oil
2-3 tbps of good olive oil
1tbsp of red wine vinegar
1tbsp of freshly squeezed lemon juice
Zest from 1/2 lemon
2tbsp of fine diced red onion
1 scallion finely sliced
2tbsp of fresh chopped parsley
2tsp of capers
10-15 kalamata olives roughly chopped
Salt and Pepper to taste
Optional: 2 Hardboiled Eggs sliced into rounds, Balsamic Vinegar, Arugula, Kalamata Olive Bread
Drain tuna and pour out excess olive oil. Set aside. Combine tuna, red onion, parsley, scallions, olives and capers in a medium mixing bowl. Add zest of half a lemon and gently combine mixture. Pour olive oil, lemon juice and red wine vinager and gently toss to blend all ingredients together. Add Salt (I prefer Maldon salt, it adds great crunch and the flavor is subtle) and Pepper to taste.
Serving Suggestions: Toss your salad greens in some Balsamic Vinegar and top with Tuna Salad Mixture OR Take a couple thick slices of Kalamata Olive Bread and drizzle with Balsamic Vinegar, top with arugula and Tuna Salad Mixture and sliced hard boiled eggs (optional) and voila!
