Here’s a tested salad from my friend Leslie in the great Pacific Northwest:
My recipe came from Food & Wine (click for their write up and photo Here).
I doubled the recipe for our group, and for the tuna I used 1 can of Ventresca tuna in oil which comes from the belly and 1 large can
of As Do Mar Tuna In Olive Oil (from Chefshop & The Spanish Table).
But any good quality tuna will work. And also used a good Italian olive
oil in the dressing that I just picked up at Chefshop, which is
currently on sale for just $10 (walk-in price), reg. $30 (they are
still moving last year’s oils out at these discounts).
This
salad is a make ahead dish and tastes even better the 2nd day after
flavors have melded, but I served it the same day as made.
Lemony Tuna and White Bean Antipasto Salad – Serves 4
Ingredients:
* 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
* 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons fruity extra-virgin olive oil (I used a tad bit more olive oil than this to cut the lemon)
* Two 6-ounce cans olive oil packed tuna, drained and broken into large chunks
* 2 cups cooked white beans such as Cassoulet or Alubia Blanca (original recipe calls for cannellini beans)
* 24 pitted Calamata olives, coarsely chopped
* 2 cups thickly sliced celery hearts
* 2 tablespoons capers, drained, or if packed in salt, rinsed
* 2 heaping tablespoons finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
* 2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest
* 1 teaspoon minced garlic
* Freshly ground pepper
* 2 roasted red peppers from a jar or 4 piquillo peppers from a jar, cut in strips
* Kosher salt
Directions:
Pour the lemon juice into a large bowl and slowly whisk in olive oil. Add the tuna, cooked beans, olives, sliced celery, capers, parsley, piquillo pepper strips, lemon zest and garlic and toss gently. Season with salt & pepper.
To prepare beans: Follow instructions on the Rancho Gordo web site Here. After they are cooked, drain and rinse off the mirepoix for this salad.
