Some of the finest preserved tuna in the world comes from southern Italy -- tuna so good it would be a sin to mix it with mayo the way you would with regular canned tuna. This Sicilian style tuna salad recipe relies on high quality canned albacore, lemon, capers and green olives. The pistachio nuts add an unexpected crunch. Want to make it even better? Poach fresh albacore in olive oil yourself to make tuna confit.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1 lb top-quality canned tuna, or homemade tuna confit
- 20 Sicilian green olives, pitted and chopped
- 2 chopped green onions or scallions
- 2 T. capers (rinse if they were preserved in salt)
- 4 T. finely chopped fennel stalks
- 1T. finely chopped fresh oregano
- 1T. finely chopped fresh parsley
- 1/4 cup top-quality olive oil, or oil left over from making the confit
- 1/2 cup pistachio nuts
- Juice of one lemon
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Preparation:
Flake the tuna into large chunks -- larger than typical canned tuna, but small enough to eat in one bite. Taste a piece; does it need salt? If so, add a little. Remember, the olives and capers will be salty.
In a large bowl, mix all the ingredients except salt and lemon. Check again for salt, and add if necessary.
The salad will store this way for a day or so in the fridge without losing quality. When you want to serve it, squeeze lemon juice over each person's portion and let it warm up at room temperature for 15-20 minutes.