August 19, 2006

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Summer Salad Splendour: Tuna and Cannelloni Bean Salad

There's nothing quite like digging into a refreshing, nutritive salad to ease you into a stifling summer day or lighten your mood on a lush summer night. I prefer eating light during the summer simply because I like to be well-fed but not weighed down. Barring the few minty days that dot these sunny months, most days I'm constantly battling the wilting effects of humidity and dehydration.

In an effort to really eat super-healthy and funky-fresh, I've decided to consume salads almost daily. This decision proved a bit challenging because as a dead-set carnivore, I like a little meaty goodness with my leaves. I toyed around with chicken Caesar salads and smoked turkey salads but found that they left me in a mini-food coma right after; the very feeling I was attempting to avoid.

That's when I remembered my sexy salad mainstay from last summer (courtesy Giada de Laurentis) and began reacquainting myself with its groovy potential. No more lolling about post-consumption feeling woefully full. This one will keep you refuelled and raring to go.

I've tried to incorporate my many iterations of this salad in the recipe below and have made note of others that come to mind. There are lots of ways you can prepare this salad based on your flavour preferences and imagination.

Tuna and Cannelloni Bean Salad (makes 4 servings)

The Playas:

2 (6 oz) cans dark meat tuna, packed in olive oil
2 (15 oz) cans cannelloni white beans, drained
1/3 cup small capers, nonpareil in brine, drained and rinsed (optional)
6 tablespoons balsamic vinegar (you can also use red wine vinegar)
Salt and fresh ground black pepper (to taste)
A handful of chopped red onion, thinly sliced to 2 inch bits
1 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes
2 cups fresh arugula (or 2 cups of Italian mixed greens such as radicchio and romaine)
A handful of fresh basil leaves chopped
A handful of cilantro/coriander chopped (leaves and stalks)


The Game:

In a large bowl, add the tuna, reserving the oil from the cans in a separate small bowl. Break tuna into bite-size pieces with a large fork. Leave some a little chunky to add a little "meatiness" if you prefer. Add the beans and capers. Into the reserved tuna oil, add the balsamic (or red wine) vinegar. You should have 1 part vinegar to 2 parts oil--add more extra-virgin olive oil if necessary. Season with salt and pepper. Pour dressing on the tuna, bean and caper mixture and allow the flavors to infuse while slicing the vegetables. Add the onion and tomatoes to tuna mixture and toss gently.

Place the arugula or greens of choice on a large platter and top with tuna mixture. Add the chopped cilantro and basil leaves over the top. Serve immediately.


Post-Game Wrap Up:

Alternatively, you can toss the entire salad in a bowl (including the chopped cilantro and basil leaves) instead of making it an "arranged" salad.

Make it in advance or make it in a jiff, this salad can be refridgerated for up to 4 days and the flavour intensifies with time.

Add chopped olives (i prefer kalamata) and some crumbled feta cheese to the salad for an unabashed Mediterranean twist.

For more crunch and colour, throw in a handful of chopped green and red peppers.

Spice it up by adding half a teaspoon of cumin (for a smoky flavour) or cayenne pepper (for some heat) to the dressing before whisking in the vinegar.

Posted by Natasha D'Souza at August 19, 2006 4:33 PM | Comments (3) | EatFoo 1.0 Posts


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Rather than tuna, I tend to add salmon or sardines to a salad ; they usually come packaged in oil that keeps them moist and can flavor the salad. Packed tuna often feels dry and flaky.


Here is a more adventurous, carnivorous idea from the French (who otherwise tend not to put much meat in their salads) : the much loved duck gizzard mesclun salad. I assure you that it is delicious and not heavy despite the odd meat morsel.
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For vinaigrette


2 tablespoons finely chopped shallot
2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar
1 teaspoon whole- or coarse-grain mustard
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
For salad
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 lb confit duck gizzards, each gizzard halved
1/2 lb small fresh morels (preferably 1 to 1 1/2 inches), trimmed, halved lengthwise, and rinsed, or 1 oz small dried morels (1 1/3 cups), soaked (see cooks' note, below)
7 oz mesclun greens (12 cups loosely packed)


Make vinaigrette:
Whisk together shallot, vinegar, mustard, salt, and pepper to taste in a small bowl. Add oil in a slow stream, whisking until combined. Let dressing stand 15 minutes (for flavors to develop).


Make salad:
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over high heat until just smoking, then sauté gizzards, stirring, until lightly browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and season with salt and pepper. Whisk dressing, then pour half over gizzards, tossing to coat.


Heat remaining tablespoon oil in skillet over high heat until hot but not smoking, then sauté morels, stirring, until lightly browned and tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and add to gizzards, tossing to combine.


Whisk remaining dressing, then pour over mesclun in a large bowl, tossing to coat.
Divide mesclun among 6 plates and top with gizzards and morels.

Posted by: Alex at August 20, 2006 10:42 PM


Where da pix at?

Posted by: Chris Santoro at August 24, 2006 5:37 PM


I ain't got no pix cos I got no digital camera yet, you see. I'll be snap-happy soon...

Until then, use your imagination.:)

Posted by: Natasha D'Souza at August 25, 2006 7:49 PM

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