THIS TUNA SALAD WAS THE BEST I'VE EVER TASTED.



THIS TUNA SALAD WAS THE BEST I'VE EVER TASTED.

A simple and immensely satisfying lunch.

I'm what you would call a very big sandwich enthusiast. Throw pretty much anything between two slices of bread and I will gladly eat it... except when it comes to tuna. As much as I love a well-made tuna melt or tuna salad, I rarely order them. There are just too many ways it can go wrong: It often leans too mayonnaise-y or too fishy, and don't even consider adding a currant.

When my friend proposed we make this tuna salad recipe by Melissa Clark a few weeks back, I immediately had my doubts, despite my friend insisting it was practically made for me. It has so many elements I look for in a tuna salad: capers for that salty, briny hit, a bite of onions to balance the subtly smoky taste of the fish, and lemon to keep it citrusy and bright. When a friend first made it on a random Saturday for lunch, he served it in a bowl with cucumbers and pita chips on the side. It didn't take long for me to recognize it as the tuna salad to end all others. Despite not being served on warm, buttered toast (how I believe tuna salad really shines), it was the best I've ever eaten

A simple and immensely satisfying lunch.

I'm what you would call a very big sandwich enthusiast. Throw pretty much anything between two slices of bread and I will gladly eat it... except when it comes to tuna. As much as I love a well-made tuna melt or tuna salad, I rarely order them. There are just too many ways it can go wrong: It often leans too mayonnaise-y or too fishy, and don't even consider adding a currant.

Since then, we've made some alterations to take it up even a few notches. We've doubled the lemon, replaced red onion with shallots, added Tabasco for a vinegary kick, and removed the black olives (which I actually don't have a problem with, but just aren't normally in our pantry). We also altered the quantities to make just enough for G's and my lunch, and add it to a blender. All of the flavors meld together so wonderfully, I could genuinely eat it every day without tiring of it. I couldn't help but share our slightly Frankenstein-ed version of the original recipe below!

Tuna Salad Sandwich
Serves 2
Inspired by Melissa Clark's Tuna Salad on 'The New York Times'

You will need:

1 garlic clove
Juice of 1 lemon
2 small cans (12 ounces) canned tuna, preferably packed in olive oil, drained
1/2 shallot
1 tablespoon capers
1 tablespoon minced parsley
Salt, to taste
Tabasco, to taste
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Cucumbers, pita chips, or buttered toast, to serve

How to make it:

Add all of the ingredients, up to the olive oil, to a blender then gradually drizzle in the olive oil as you blend until just smooth. Add additional salt and Tabasco, as needed, and serve with your favorite bread or vehicle!