Top | Katherine Deumling

White Beans and Tuna

(recipe, Katherine Deumling)

Introduction

This is a delicious, quick, classic Italian salad. You can add cherry (or regular) tomatoes and/or chopped basil or parsley, too.

Ingredients

  1. 2 (5- or 6-ounce) cans tuna (use Oregon albacore if you can find it)
  2. 4 cups cooked white cannellini or Great Northern beans (or two 15-ounce cans of beans, drained and rinsed)
  3. ¼ cup capers, nonpareil in brine or packed in salt, drained and rinsed
  4. 2 Tbsp. lemon juice
  5. Zest of half a lemon
  6. 2 Tbsp. red-wine vinegar
  7. 2 to 3 Tbsp. olive oil
  8. Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  9. ½ small red onion, very thinly sliced, or ½ bunch of chives or 2 to 3 scallions, chopped
  10. 2 cups arugula, washed and torn into bite-sized pieces
  11. Peasant-style bread, for serving

Steps

  1. In a large bowl, place the tuna, reserving the olive oil or juices from the can in a separate small bowl. Break the tuna into bite-size pieces with a large fork. Add the beans and capers.
  2. Into the bowl of olive oil or tuna juices, add the lemon juice, lemon zest, red-wine vinegar, and additional olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.
  3. Pour the dressing over the tuna, bean, and caper mixture and add the onion and arugula; toss gently. Serve with good, crusty bread.

Note

This salad is also good on the second day, mashed up a bit and used as a sandwich filling.