Pesto – Tuna Salad #2

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I am working on a collection of recipes using canned tun fish. This is recipe #2.

The whole idea came to me years ago when I was trying to put together easy and inexpensive recipes for students going off to college. The finished product was meant to be a cookbook. I went as far as writing down 45-50 recipe ideas using canned tuna fish. Then life happened. I put the list away and didn’t think about it. but about 2-3 years ago, as I was unpacking a box I had in storage, I came across the list! I laughed to myself for my silly idea and threw it away.

Now it’s 2020. We are in quarantine, socially distancing, trying to limit our trips to the grocery store, eating at home more, and trying, probably more than ever, to stay on a budget since none of us knows what’s going to happen next.

And so the 50 canned tuna recipes idea came rushing back to me. I had thrown away my list but I found it pretty easy to start writing down ideas. Because really, tuna is so versatile, but for most of us, the go-to is mayo, celery, and onion. I’m not knocking it. It’s very delicious and I still use that combination all the time, but there are so many other variations. Let me count the ways…

Wondering where are recipes #1 and #3-#50? If they are not already on my blog, it means they’ll be coming soon. The recipe numbers are correlated with my notes when I started writing down ideas. The order in which I post them has to do with what I have at home and what I’m in the mood to taste test that day. I know, very scientific.

Tuna, Pesto, Red Onions, Toasted Pine Nuts

Pesto adds a fresh basil and garlic flavor, and the pine nuts add a nice crunch. Just make sure to toast them first. Use a dry saute pan on medium heat, add the pine nuts and shake occasionally to toast evenly. Do not leave them! They can burn pretty easily. Just stay close by and keep shaking the pan until they are a nice golden brown color. Why toast them first? Because it enhances the nutty flavor and the aroma.

And don’t worry about using exact measurements for these recipes. Adjust the ingredients to your taste.

Serves: 2

Difficulty level: Easy peasy

Ingredients:

  • 1 can of tuna – your favorite brand
  • 1 Tablespoon toasted pine nuts
  • 1- 1 1/2 Tablespoons red onion, chopped (Click for a quick video on how to chop onions.)
  • 1 green onion, sliced thinly
  • 3 Tablespoons homemade or store-bought pesto. You can add more for a greener look. I was being calorie-conscious.
  • Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Instructions:

Drain the tuna. Put in a bowl with the rest of the ingredients and mix.

Use your favorite bread to make a sandwich or toss with some lettuce for a carb-free option.

Pesto & Pine Nut Tuna Salad

Mediterranean – Tuna Salad #14

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I am working on a collection of recipes using canned tun fish. This is recipe #14.

The whole idea came to me years ago when I was trying to put together easy and inexpensive recipes for students going off to college. The finished product was meant to be a cookbook. I went as far as writing down 45-50 recipe ideas using canned tuna fish. Then life happened. I put the list away and didn’t think about it. But about 2-3 years ago, as I was unpacking a box I had in storage, I came across the list! I laughed to myself for my silly idea and threw it away.

Now it’s 2020. We are in quarantine, socially distancing, trying to limit our trips to the grocery store, eating at home more, and trying, probably more than ever, to stay on a budget since none of us knows what’s going to happen next.

And so the 50 canned tuna recipes idea came rushing back to me. I had thrown away my list but I found it pretty easy to start writing down ideas. Because really, tuna is so versatile, but for most of us, the go-to is mayo, celery, and onion. I’m not knocking it. It’s very delicious and I still use that combination all the time, but there are so many other variations. Let me count the ways…

Wondering where are recipes #1-#13 and #15-#50? If they are not already on my blog, it means they’ll be coming soon. The recipe numbers are correlated with my notes when I started writing down ideas. The order in which I post them has to do with what I have at home and what I’m in the mood to taste test that day. I know, very scientific.

Tuna, feta cheese, kalamata olives, green onions, lemon, capers

This Mediterranean version is a great combination of salty and sour, and on the lighter side because there is no mayo. Feta cheese, olives, and capers are naturally salty. And since olives and capers are usually in a brine, they are also slightly sour, and of course a squeeze of lemon brings it all together. Don’t worry about using exact measurements for these recipes. Adjust the ingredients to your taste.

Serves: 2

Difficulty level: Easy peasy

Ingredients:

  • 1 can of tuna – your favorite brand
  • 1 Tablespoon crumbled feta cheese
  • 3-4 Kalamata olives, chopped
  • 1 green onion, sliced thinly
  • a squeeze of lemon
  • 1 tablespoon capers – Capers come in a jar at the grocery store, usually in the same aisle as olives and pickles.
  • drizzle of olive oil
  • freshly ground black pepper to taste

Instructions:

Drain the tuna (Unless it’s packed in olive oil, then don’t drain). Put in a bowl with the rest of the ingredients and mix.

Use your favorite bread to make a sandwich or toss with some lettuce for a carb-free option.

Mediterranean Tuna Salad with Naan

Basic Herbed Focaccia Bread

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Learning to make focaccia bread is a great way to get started in your bread-making adventure. It has less fuss and muss compared to making for example a baguette. And you still get the satisfaction of enjoying warm, fresh-baked bread right out of the oven. What’s better than that?

The ingredients are simple and mostly from your pantry.

You can watch the full step-by-step video here

Or you can follow the instructions below.

Makes 1 Focaccia

Difficulty Level: medium

Ingredients

  • 1 packet or 1 tablespoon Active Dry yeast
  • 1 Tablespoon sugar
  • 1 cup warm water about 110-115 degrees
  • 3 large garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 teaspoons dried thyme
  • 1/4 cup olive oil (plus another 1/4 cup more for coating the dough while rising and for drizzling on top)
  • 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour or bread flour
  • 1 Tablespoons coarse sea salt for topping

Instructions

Proof the yeast by stirring together the yeast, sugar, and warm water in the bowl of an electric mixer. If you don’t have a mixer, no worries. Just mix the ingredients in a glass or stainless steel bowl.

Let sit for about 10 minutes or until fluffy. This step insures that your yeast is active.

Quick tip: Store your yeast in the freezer. It will last longer than its expiration date, but you should still proof it to make sure it’s active.

Add in the thyme, minced garlic, 1/4 cup of olive oil, sea salt, and flour.

Quick tip: The ratio for fresh herbs versus dried herbs is 3:1. So if I was using fresh thyme I would need 6 teaspoons, (equal to 3 tablespoons) instead of 2 teaspoons.

Using the dough hook on your mixer, mix the ingredients on low until the dough starts to come together, about 2-3 minutes.

Increase the speed to medium and mix until the dough comes away from the sides of the bowl, about another 5-6 minutes or until the dough is elastic and will not tear easily when pulled. If kneading by hand, it will take about 10-12 minutes of kneading time.

Drizzle about 1 tablespoon of olive oil on top of dough and turn to cover all sides . Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place in a warm, draft free place until the dough doubles in size, about 1 1/2 hours.

Punch down the dough to redistribute the yeast. “Punch down” is just a term used; don’t take it literally. Instead, gently fold over the dough and press down a few times.

Grease a half baking sheet pan (17 by 12-inch) and transfer the dough onto the baking sheet. I like to make a rustic shape in the middle, leaving a few inches off each side. This will give me enough thickness after it’s baked to cut in half and make a sandwich. You can also stretch the dough to fit the pan for a thinner finished bread.

Lightly cover the pan with plastic wrap and let the dough rest for 1 hour. Start preheating the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit half way through this resting period.

Now is the fun part! With your fingertips, press down on the dough to make little indents. I love this part!

Drizzle or brush the top with olive oil and sprinkle generously with the coarse sea salt.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until the crust is golden brown . Enjoy!

Herbed Focaccia Bread
Herbed Focaccia bread with olive oil/balsamic vinegar dipping sauce

Variations:

  • I used dried thyme because it was what I had on hand, but you can substitute with fresh herbs such as rosemary, a very classic herb for focaccia. You can use pretty much any herb you like. See the “quick note” above regarding the ratio of fresh versus dried herbs.
  • Add raisins or other dried fruit to the dough.
  • Top with caramelized onions
  • Mix in about 1/4 cup roughly chopped Kalamata olives in the dough, and about 1/4 cup sprinkled on top
  • Drizzle truffle oil on top
Fresh Rosemary Focaccia
Clockwise from left: Herb de Provence cream cheese with fresh tomato slice, Turkey Sandwich with tomatoes, onions, & Spring mix, Salami and Havarti Cheese Sandwich
With pesto and balsamic dipping sauce

Do Ahead:

There isn’t much you can do ahead of time for this one. But, you can slow down the rising process of the dough by putting it in the refrigerator. This will slow it down by 2-3 hours.