Tuna and Garden Vegetable Salad
- 4 (1¼ pounds) firm ripe tomatoes, cored and quartered
- 4 small, pale celery heart stalks with some leafy tops
- ½ english (seedless) hot house cucumber, trimmed and quartered lengthwise
- 1 cup lightly packed fresh italian parsley leaves with tender stems
- 1 red bell pepper, quartered and seeded
- 1 bunch green onions, green and white parts, ends trimmed
- 2 (6-ounce) cans olive oil–packed tuna, well drained and broken into pieces with a fork
- 3 oil-packed anchovy fillets, rinsed and dried
- 3 cloves garlic, grated or finely chopped
- 1⁄3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Coarse salt
- 6 leaves romaine or other lettuce, rinsed and dried
- ¼ cup small black olives, preferably ligurian, for garnish
Using a mezzaluna or a chef's knife, chop the tomatoes, celery, cucumber, parsley, bell pepper, and green onions into ½-inch pieces on a cutting board. As the vegetables are cut, transfer them to a large bowl. Add the tuna to the vegetables in the bowl.
Mince the anchovies with the mezzaluna on a mezzaluna cutting board or standard cutting board, or mince with the chef's knife. Place in a small bowl. Add the garlic, olive oil, vinegar, 1 teaspoon of salt, and a generous grinding of pepper. Whisk together until well blended. Add to the vegetable and tuna in the large bowl. Using a large rubber spatula, fold gently to blend. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 1 hour.
Take the salad from the refrigerator 30 minutes before serving, so it has time to come to room temperature. Taste and add salt, if needed.
Line a platter with the romaine leaves, and mound the salad on top. garnish with the olives and serve. Serve as a main dish or side dish.
Tuna and Garden Vegetable Salad
- 4 (1¼ pounds) firm ripe tomatoes, cored and quartered
- 4 small, pale celery heart stalks with some leafy tops
- ½ english (seedless) hot house cucumber, trimmed and quartered lengthwise
- 1 cup lightly packed fresh italian parsley leaves with tender stems
- 1 red bell pepper, quartered and seeded
- 1 bunch green onions, green and white parts, ends trimmed
- 2 (6-ounce) cans olive oil–packed tuna, well drained and broken into pieces with a fork
- 3 oil-packed anchovy fillets, rinsed and dried
- 3 cloves garlic, grated or finely chopped
- 1⁄3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Coarse salt
- 6 leaves romaine or other lettuce, rinsed and dried
- ¼ cup small black olives, preferably ligurian, for garnish
Using a mezzaluna or a chef's knife, chop the tomatoes, celery, cucumber, parsley, bell pepper, and green onions into ½-inch pieces on a cutting board. As the vegetables are cut, transfer them to a large bowl. Add the tuna to the vegetables in the bowl.
Mince the anchovies with the mezzaluna on a mezzaluna cutting board or standard cutting board, or mince with the chef's knife. Place in a small bowl. Add the garlic, olive oil, vinegar, 1 teaspoon of salt, and a generous grinding of pepper. Whisk together until well blended. Add to the vegetable and tuna in the large bowl. Using a large rubber spatula, fold gently to blend. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 1 hour.
Take the salad from the refrigerator 30 minutes before serving, so it has time to come to room temperature. Taste and add salt, if needed.
Line a platter with the romaine leaves, and mound the salad on top. garnish with the olives and serve. Serve as a main dish or side dish.