This salad is perfect for a hot summer day like today. It is served at room temperature or even warm. I sometimes will make confit garlic oil, warm it gently and use that in place of the regular extra virgin olive oil in this recipe. The apple in my version is not a traditional addition, but I really love it. It works well with all the flavours. You can serve this salad atop wilted greens or your lettuce of choice. Today I spooned it atop another Portuguese classic, Batatas a Murro, or "punched" potatoes.
Portuguese Style Tuna Salad with Apple, Black Eyed Peas & Chickpeas ❦ Salada de Atum Feijão Frade e Grão
Serves 6
400 g. Black-eyed peas/beans, drained
400 g. Chickpeas/Garbanzo beans, drained
220 g. Yellowfin Ventresca Tuna Fillets in olive oil, undrained
I used Asda extra special brand, fabulous! Try not to mash up the tuna too much, let the bigger chunks prevail. You really want the best-canned tuna in oil you can find.
4 Soft boiled eggs, preferably rich golden yolks, I only use Clarence Court brand eggs
roughly chopped
4 Garlic cloves, minced
1 Green apple, cored and diced
1 Red onion, minced
50 ml. Extra virgin olive oil, or more to taste
50 ml. Red or white wine vinegar, or more to taste
Salt and freshly cracked black pepper
A handful of fresh coriander/cilantro, feel free to substitute with fresh, Italian flat-leaf parsley.
Place all the ingredients together in a large bowl, except oil, vinegar, and coriander. Toss to incorporate gently.
Pour over olive oil and vinegar, stir to combine. Let rest at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving for flavors to meld. Stir in coriander just before serving.
Rustic or refined, the sky's the limit. Here I have served it up on a large platter family-style with potatoes. I chopped two of the four eggs and mixed them into the salad while leaving two quartered for garnish.