What to CookBean
An Herby, Flavorful Chickpea-Tuna Salad to Dream About
by Amanda Hesser
• December 17, 2015
• 9 Comments
I felt especially proud of this lunch: it was healthful and varied, and even though it was created in the middle of morning chaos, I managed to put together some good flavors—chickpeas with tuna, parsley, Meyer lemon, a pinch of hot smoked paprika, and olive oil. I laid it all out on this baking sheet and carried it into our living room, where I take these photos in a window seat. The light cooperated. I was even somewhat on time.
I lifted the baking sheet with one hand so I could use my free hand to replace the window seat cushion to its place. That's when I heard the terrible sound of glass containers sliding across the metal baking sheet. Sliding, sliding, then onto the floor! The chickpeas scattered like boulders in a landslide. The avocado squashed under their pelting weight. The tuna slumped on the wood floor. The 5-second rule had no chance with this oily mess. My sweet husband came to the rescue, crawling under a settee to gather up the detritus. And our kids went to school with porchetta sandwiches instead. Mondays!
Comments (9)
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1. Do you always keep home cooked chick peas on hand? and or do you ever used canned (if so, which brand?)
2. What kind of tuna? I would love my daughter to have more fish in her lunches.
Amanda is a co-founder of Food52.
Sometimes I do but I also use canned. I try for organic. For the tuna, I get it at the greenmarket and poach it in oil or I buy the best quality tuna in oil that I can find.
I've been making a similar salad for years. My daughter was horrified when she went to college and discovered that other people don't put garbanzo beans in their tuna salads -- and that they make them with mayo instead of olive oil and lemon juice!
A beautiful variation is canned salmon with red kidney beans. The red salmon and beans is festive with the green of avocado.
amysarah is a trusted home cook.
Porchetta sandwiches - impressive last minute substitute lunch! But I always wonder - are the glass containers photo props, or do the kids actually take them to school? If so, do they always make it home, and intact? Do the lids lock on? I have similar fridge containers with lids held on only by their own weight (picturing backpacks full of olive oil infused math worksheets...) So many questions! Have always wondered when I see these lovely lunch pix.
Amanda is a co-founder of Food52.
Yes, they have lids that lock on and I send them to school!
I'm pretty sure that a day with porch extra sandwiches is not a complete disaster......
That would be PORCHETTA
Amanda is the Design & Home Editor at Food52
But did your glass containers survive??
Amanda is a co-founder of Food52.
They did -- they're sturdy!
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