Get creative with tuna

 

One of the shortcomings of the tiny kitchen in my cottage is the lack of storage space. And one of the things I need to store is a case of tuna—that’s twenty-four cans. I order it from a mom-and-pop fishing vessel in Oregon. It’s canned the day it’s caught, in water, only heated once. Delicious. Storage is only a problem for a while, because we eat a lot of tuna. (I also buy canned salmon from the same source—love it!)

Jordan, the resident daughter, loves the tuna salad we make, but she won’t consider tuna served any other way. In contrast, I am happy with tuna casserole, creamed tuna on toast, tuna Florentine (a complicated dish I just made for company), and I’m willing to try new ways with tuna. I think two or three weeks ago I mentioned a tuna/bean salad that didn’t come out the way I wanted. Here’s a version that did turn out right and couldn’t be easier—Megan, the Austin daughter, and I had it last weekend and gave it high marks, after I fiddled with it a bit.

Tuna/bean salad

1 15-oz. can white beans (should be cannellini, but I had navy beans and they worked just fine)

1 7 oz. can tuna (original recipe called for oil-packed, but I prefer to use water-packed and compensate with extra olive oil)

1 lemon, including zest.

¼ c. pesto

2 Tbsp. olive oil, or more to make up for using water-packed tuna.

1 tsp. Dijon mustard

Salt and pepper to taste

Drain and rinse beans; drain tuna; grate the lemon zest and then squeeze the lemon, saving the juice. Stir everything together. Chill before serving.

Want to do a sandwich something with a can of tuna? A tuna sandwich that is not tuna salad? Make it into a composed salad on bread—at least that’s the best way I can describe it.

A different tuna salad

Four ciabatta rolls or one loaf of French or Italian bread

1 7 oz. can tuna

4 hard-boiled eggs, sliced

Salt and pepper

Watercress; if not available, arugula or romaine lettuce (watercress adds a nice, peppery taste)

Salsa Verde (recipe follows)

Directions

Split rolls or bread; some might use a baguette, but I find them too skinny. If using French or Italian bread, cut into four serving-size pieces and split. Arrange lettuce, tuna, eggs artfully on one side of bread. Salt and pepper to taste. Cover generously with salsa. Either top with the other half of the bread or serve the sandwich open-faced.

Salsa Verde

1 c. parsley

½ c. good olive oil, more if needed

2 garlic cloves, micro planed or minced.

3 or 4 anchovy filets

1 Tbsp. capers

Zest of a lemon

Salt and pepper

Mix parsley and olive oil thoroughly in food processor. Add remaining ingredients by hand. Taste for salt and pepper. Add more olive oil if needed for a spreadable consistency. You want it thin enough to generously top the sandwiches.