Tuna Salad

[Jinmyo]

So I had some ahi tuna steaks leftover. They had been grilled with a (light) Sichuan peppercorn and dried lemon  crust (s&p). I made some mayo, added a good bit of Dijon, crumbled the tuna (including the crust). Mixed together. Tasted. Added further s&p. Tasted. Added chopped green olives.

I had some scallop surimi.

I buttered some bread (sliced from crusty boules out of the oven about twenty-five minutes) with some Normandy butter. Added chopped Romaine lettuce, a good scoop of ahi tuna salad, a drizzle of porcini oil, a few "scallops", a twist of five peppercorn blend. Topped with the other slice. Press. Slice.

Served with Moishe's Charcoutre (sauerkraut with hot peppers and cucumber slices from a Montreal deli) on the side.

(I was going to serve it so that people assembled their own but decided against that.)

How do you make tuna salad?

[tommy]

How do you make tuna salad?

from a can. :confused:

with mayo, celery, pepper.  no onions.

a problem i always had with tuna at home is that when you realize you want it, you have to make it.  now that's not a big deal, but then you end up eating warm tuna salad, which is pretty disgusting.  one of the many things mrs. tommy has taught me over the years include this little gem:  store the cans of tuna in the fridge, rather than the pantry.  she's brilliant. or maybe that is common knowledge and i'm just thick.  either way, it works.  

[researchgal]

I've a few different versions.  One sort of mediteranean:

Tuna from can (use italian in oil if available and feeling decadent)

Little mayo mixed w/some lemon and dijon, maybe a bit of sour cream if available

Capers

Chopped olives

Oregano

Sliced cornichons

Chopped red onion

Served on crusty bread with arugula

Or, the more purist version of tuna salad:

White meat tuna from can

Chopped celery

Chopped red onion

Mayo (just a little, I hate mayonaissey tuna salad)

S&P

I like that one on rye or pumpernickel w/romaine and tomato...

[Brad S]

My wife likes good old fashioned out of the can, she buy's the little 4oz ones and keeps them in the fridge also...

jinmyo..your tuna recipe sounds great,I make a tuna salad that first I paint the steak with some tahini and coat it with white and black sesame seeds,S&P and mint,char it rare, slice it on a thin bias and place it on large lavash spread with hummis and baba gounush,shaved cucumber and fennel and roll it in the lavash. it really light and tasty.

[Jinmyo]

Oops. I forgot to mention the minced scallion and capers.

And that I put the tuna salad in the refrigerator for an hour.

I don't understand tuna tinned with anything else but olive oil. It's been done that way for thousands of years (well, two). Soya oil is disgusting. Vegetable broth is grim. In water is atrocious (though it makes great cat food and youy can refill what's left with water to make more tuna slurry for the cat).

[Vivian Mallinson]

From a can, plus an equal amount of freshly picked uncooked peas, a very little lemon and a few slices of grilled baguette.

A variation on the above is add a little chopped red onion and parsley to the tuna and peas, halve and hollow a loaf, stuff with the mixture, wrap tightly and chill for a couple of hours.

[Liza]

Jinmyo,

Never please never give canned tuna to a cat. It's like crack to them, and they can/might/will (!) stop eating all other food. Which is somehow a bad thing where the kitties are concerned. Perhaps Priscilla or others can elucidate my dire warning...

[bushey]

tommy -- chacun a son gout, to each his own, that's why Howard Johnson's has 28 flavors, etc. etc.  

Although I use your method for making tuna salad, I hate eating it cold. I love to eat it right when it's made from a can that's been sitting in the pantry. If there are any leftovers I put them in an airtight container in the fridge, but usually end up tossing it. Well, sometimes I warm the leftovers slightly in the fridge and it's fit for making a tuna melt on toasted English muffins.

[Priscilla]

Jinmyo,

Never please never give canned tuna to a cat. It's like crack to them, and they can/might/will (!) stop eating all other food. Which is somehow a bad thing where the kitties are concerned. Perhaps Priscilla or others can elucidate my dire warning...

Liza I can only offer that I do feed my cats canned people tuna.  Not all the time, all the time they eat their fahncy dry food, but sometimes.  What does that make me, an enabler?  

Tuna salad is one of my favorite dishes.  Olive-oil packed with white beans and so on, regular with mayonnaise and celery and chopped bread and butter pickles.

And starting today I'll be stocking cans in the refrigerator, thanks to Mrs. Tommy via Tommy.

Priscilla

[tommy]

bushey, hot tuna is just crazy.  and they never had a hit if you think about it.

this is the type of thread that reminds me of how incredible egullet is.  my head is now filled with all types of ideas of what to do with the starkist in the fridge.  i can run out to the garden and grab some mint and scallions, i can reach for the capers, a baguette is certainly in order, i mean, my tuna world went from one-dimensional to like, x-dimensional, x being boundless.  

cool.

[Suzanne F]

This should probably go on the "What's the WORST..." thread -- but we like it:

Drain 1 can of the cheapest tuna you can find (rinse if oil-packed).  Dump in bowl.  Add: lots of finely chopped celery, a grated carrot or 2 if small, a splash of lemon juice, some mango chutney (chop fruit if big), a big dose of curry powder, and enough mayonnaise to bind.  Mix well.  Eat as is or chilled, on Thomas's english muffin, well-done, open-face.

[nyfirepatrolchef X]

Jinmyo and Reeeeeeesearch~

My tummy thanks and blesses you both..for eons Ive wanted to play with *other* ways to do tunie salad...oh lord...so nice..just did canola mayo, organic dijon, dill relish, chopped calamatas, black pepper...some no yeast rye on the side...some pasta salad...some home brewed mint iced tea....oh man...thank you BOTH!

[=Mark]

Funny you mention capers and scallions, as I used them both in my last tuna salad.  Added a diced hard boiled egg and some celery with a touch of red wine vinegar, cracked black pepper and mayo.  Sometimes I'll add a little Old Bay also.

[bushey]

Boundless is an apt descriptor here. Positively mind and palate expanding. I love tuna, capers, hard-cooked eggs, all types of vinegar and never thought of putting them together. Duh!

I've always been much more creative with my egg salad, which is one of my favorite sandwiches of all times. Capers, smoked salmon, chives, curry powder, sunflower seeds all go so well, though not necessarily at the same time. Plain egg salad is our family favorite for the beach. Must be something about the sea salt in the air and the fine grained sand for that added little crunch.  

[SobaAddict70]

Three of my favorites:

Tuna from a can (packed with spring water)

Chopped yellow onions (or shallots for a milder flavor)

Celery

Miracle Whip

Pickle relish

Paprika

Salt and pepper

-------

Italian tuna from a can (packed in OO)

Minced garlic, sauteed briefly until golden brown

Aioli

Roasted red or yellow peppers

Chopped, pitted oil-cured olives

Sprinkle of red pepper flakes

-------

Tuna from a can (packed in spring water)

Sardines, chopped finely

1 anchovy fillet, ground into a paste

Mayonnaise

Chopped red onion

Celery

White pepper

[cakewalk]

Jinmyo -- it would have been perfect but YOU LEFT OUT THE POTATO CHIPS!!!

[heyjude]

cakewalk is right about the potato chips. They're better in a tuna sandwich than with a tuna sandwich. I love tuna salad sandwiches and I love egg salad sandwiches, but the very best is the two mixed together after each chilling separately in the fridge. It's not the same if you just add eggs and extra mayo to the tuna. It means you have to plan ahead, but there's always a little nibble of potato chips while you wait.

[Pitter]

If the tuna comes from a can, it has to be solid white, not chunk (read, mush).  However, and this is a big however, if it comes from a jar, is olive oil packed, and in big, solid chunks, then it is the best tuna for any tuna salad.  Yeah, it's more expensive, but if you are a tuna salad fanatic, try this.  Look for "Bonito."  I drain it, toss it with some (preferably DeLouis but usually Hellman's) mayo, a small dollop of Dijon mustard, diced cornichons, shallots, capers and pitted kalamata olives, or some variation. A twist of pepper, a pinch of whatever fresh herb is nearby, and voila.

[stefanyb]

mrs. tommy has taught me over the years include this little gem:  store the cans of tuna in the fridge, rather than the pantry.  she's brilliant. or maybe that is common knowledge and i'm just thick.  either way, it works.  

yes, no, yes, yes

[Peter B Wolf]

Ventresca di Tonno in Extra Virgin Olive Oil comes from the thunnus thynnus, the Mediterranean 'Tonno Rosso' or Bluefin Tuna, fished in the 'rush' when it is coming in to warm waters for mating, at the end of a long migration.

Available from: http://www.esperya.com.

This is the best Tuna I have found so far. And for a salad, Capers , home-made Mayo and some special Anchovies:

“Anxoves de l’Escala (in Oil) from a town (l’Escala on the Costa Brava/Spain), Packer’s name El Xillu.

[Beachfan]

Albacore Tuna

Dijon Mustard

dat's it

It works for my diet.  If I'm off my diet, I wouldn't be bothering to make Tuna fish.

Adding celery is worth trying.

[Biscotti]

Here is another great way to have tuna if one is on a diet.

Solid white packed in water

low fat mayonaise

granny smith apples cut in bite size chunks (without the peel)

dried cranberries

I got the idea from a local gourmet store and make it at home now.  It really is great and is something I enjoy even if I am not dieting.

[mhadam]

I know the reply is a bit late....been busy. At times I use canned salmon instead of tuna. Mix it with mayo, bit of onion, s/p, dash of red pepper flakes and voila.

My husband will shred some lettuce or cabbage and mix that in for some crunch.

maggie

[stellabella]

So I had some ahi tuna steaks leftover. They had been grilled with a (light) Sichuan peppercorn and dried lemon  crust (s&p). I made some mayo, added a good bit of Dijon, crumbled the tuna (including the crust). Mixed together. Tasted. Added further s&p. Tasted. Added chopped green olives.

jinmyo, take me to your larder.

[col klink]

Looks like I'm the only one who uses Miracle Whip instead of mayo. I also add chopped pickles, mustard, s&p, hot sauce and Vlassic pepper rings. Basically I just add condiments to canned tuna. However, I have added celery and in the future I will be adding onion, that sounds pretty good.