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April 27, 2005

tuna and beans permalink

This is dead simple, fast and really delicious. But because it is so simple, every ingredient counts.
Bela Olhao tuna
Tuna is especially important. The best brands are European: Ortiz, A's Do Mar, Flott, and Bela Olhao are some that I'm familiar with. If you are looking for domestics, try Crown Prince or Progresso, though the taste makes the Europeans worth the price. And don't even think about light tuna!

You want tuna packed in olive oil. Not packed in oil, not packed in spring water, not in a little pouch. I don't care if you ate tuna in spring water when it was hard to find in the grocery store, this recipe is all about the tuna taste, and to really have that, you need olive oil.

This is a recipe template. With european tunas, we tend to use 2 cans of tuna to one can of beans, vs 1 to 1 on the American tuna. Your desire for beans, tuna and/or frugality may also influence the ratio. Anything goes as long as it tastes good.

1 or 2 cans of tuna, packed in olive oil
1 or 2 cans of cannellini, great northern, or small white beans
decent extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
a lemon or some lemon-flavored EVOO (like Agrumato Lemon Extra Virgin Olive Oil)
kosher salt
fresh ground pepper

1. Drain tuna, drain beans.
2. combine drained tuna and beans in a big bowl
3. add olive oil to taste
4. add fresh-squeezed lemon juice or lemon flavored EVOO to taste
5. salt and pepper to taste

variations: add red pepper flakes, or 3 cloves crushed garlic.

serve soupy with a green salad, or on toast, pasta, rice, polenta, or your favorite starch

This only gets better in the fridge, too.

Posted at April 27, 2005

Comments

This is one of my FAVORITE recipes from home. I add some red onion to it as well. Yum. :)

Posted by: Annalisa at April 27, 2005 11:25 AM

Sounds yummy, I've have to try that. I know there is some good tuna available here in Germany - and a whole range of tastes.

Posted by: Jack at April 28, 2005 10:43 AM

Sadly, the wife is allergic to everything and I can't prepare most of that indoors. I can eat tuna when she's away from the house for several hours, if I air it out afterwards.

Is Chicken of the Sea considered gourmet?

Posted by: Jon in Michigan at April 28, 2005 10:50 AM