One of the most defining moments of my childhood was witnessing what each of my parents could do with a can of tuna fish.
My Greek mom would open up a can, drizzle it with olive oil and lemon juice, and eat it without any additional accompaniment. My dad, a Jewish man from Ohio, gave it the traditional tuna salad treatment with celery and mayonnaise.
This simple lunch is inspired by both of them — it’s my Jewish-Greek tuna salad. It’s lighter and more refreshing than a traditional tuna salad, with the fennel and apples to replace the celery and add a satisfying crunch. I like serving this dish on top of simply dressed greens or on toast drizzled with olive oil.
From the book LEMON, LOVE & OLIVE OIL by Mina Stone. Copyright © 2021 by Asimina Stone. Published by Harper Wave, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers. Reprinted by permission.
Ingredients
- 2 (5-ounce) cans tuna, preferably olive oil–packed
- 1 large fennel bulb, trimmed of fronds, cored and diced
- 1 Granny Smith or Pink Lady apple, cored and diced
- juice of 2 lemons
- extra virgin olive oil
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 handful flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
Directions
- Drain the cans of tuna and flake the fish into a large bowl. Add the fennel, apple, lemon juice, a generous drizzle of olive oil, and a generous sprinkle of salt and freshly ground black pepper. Toss to combine. Add the parsley and toss one more time.
