What to CookSeafood
Kill Two Birds and Eat Tuna Salad for Lunch
Every week we take a peek inside the lunches of the luckiest kids in Brooklyn. Read on, suppress your jealousy, and get a little brown bag inspiration.
This week: Amanda puts a spin on tuna salad by cleaning out her fridge. Two birds, one stone.
I like classic tuna salad—on toasted white bread, scooped onto a diner salad platter, or in a melt (preferably broiled in a toaster oven). But I'm equally fond of fiddling with the classic recipe.
Tuna can be brash and dominating—it craves assertive companions. I had a tangle of garlic scapes in the fridge looking for a purpose; and while garlic scapes are certainly mellower than garlic cloves, they hold their ground against tuna. We also had a bunch of basil, parsley, and thyme on the verge of wilting so I tossed them into a food processor with the scapes, gave them all a good whirl, and then blended in capers, a pinch of ground chile, and enough oil to soak the greens and make a paste. It was as fragrant as a freshly mown field. I folded the tuna (I poached mine, but jarred or canned is totally fine as long as you're happy with the brand) and pesto together, splashed in some lemon juice, and I had a salad and sandwich makings for several lunches. For this lunch, I packed the tuna salad with roasted zucchini and summer squash, avocado wedges, and country rye bread. Frog Hollow apricots for dessert.
What are your clean-out-the-fridge successes? Share your secrets in the comments.
Comments (4)
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almost 3 years ago ChefJune
June is a trusted source on General Cooking.
I sure hope Walker and Addie appreciated that lunch. That may be one of the best (out of a whole host of goodies) you've ever posted. I would be happy to find that in my lunch box! :)
almost 3 years ago Amanda Hesser
Amanda is a co-founder of Food52.
Thanks ChefJune!
almost 3 years ago Denise
I always make vegetable soup when I clean out the fridge. Tons of herbs plus zucchini, cooked corn, leftover peas, etc. I use all the stems from the herbs plus the skins and seeds from cucumbers and wilted lettuces, carrot ends and skin and celery brown parts to make veg stock first. Round up the leftover cannellini beans, plus parmesan cheese bits and make the best soup ever.
almost 3 years ago Amanda Hesser
Amanda is a co-founder of Food52.
Love this plan -- thanks for sharing.
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