This is a dandy salad to take on a summer picnic, even if that outing is at home on the patio. A mix of canned tuna and cannellini beans is at the heart of the dish, plus a tasty vinaigrette, olives, and leafy greens. The concoction also shows off fresh fennel lending a hint of licorice. Plus, there are hard-cooked eggs for added protein.
The recipe is from Giada De Laurentiis’ cookbook “Super Italian.” She writes that if she asked a Southern Italian cook to whip up a Salade Nicoise, this is probably what they would come up with.
Tuna Salad with White Beans and Olives
Yield: 4 servings
INGREDIENTS
1 tablespoon drained capers, chopped
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, rinsed, drained
1 to 2 (5-ounce) can(s) tuna packed in olive oil, drained, see cook’s notes
1/2 cup pitted Castelvetrano or Cerignola olives
2 Belgian endives, trimmed, cut into 2-inch crosswise pieces
1 small head of radicchio, cut into 2-inch pieces
1 small fresh fennel bulb, stalks removed, halved and thinly sliced
1/2 cup (lightly packed) fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
2 hard-cooked eggs, peeled and quartered
Cook’s notes: Giada De Laurentiis lists 2 (5-ounce) cans of tuna, but I use only one (yes, I’m on a tighter budget, but I also think the salad is great using just one can). The choice is yours. I use the Genova brand of canned-in-olive-oil yellowfin tuna. It’s sold at most supermarkets.
DIRECTIONS
1. In a large bowl, whisk together the capers, juice, and mustard. Whisk in the oil in a steady stream until emulsified. Whisk in salt.
2. Add the beans, tuna, and olives to the dressing, breaking the tuna in bitesize pieces. Toss gently to coat the ingredients with dressing and set aside to marinate for 15 minutes or up to 24 hours in the refrigerator.
3. When ready to serve, arrange the endives, radicchio, and fennel on a platter. Stir parsley leaves into the tuna mixture and spoon onto the greens. Arrange the eggs atop the salad and serve, sprinkled with salt to taste.
Source: Adapted from “Super Italian” by Giada De Laurentiis