Never-Canned Tuna Salad

My mother’s tuna salad consisted of a can of tuna packed in some undifferentiated oil, drained and flaked, then mixed with an appropriate quantity of Miracle Whip and some rubbery diced celery from the bunch always kept at the back of the vegetable crisper. It was used for sandwiches on days when there was nothing better to eat. It’s never been difficult to do better.

I discovered long ago that tuna packed in water was too dry and lifeless to bother with, so I switched to tuna packed in olive oil. In recent years though, I’ve found the harsh oil used for tuna packing is a bit difficult to digest, so, after a long tuna fast, I’ve moved on to the surprising convenience and remarkable taste of frozen fresh tuna.

We buy great quantities of very fresh fish at Northshore Seafood on King Street in Northampton. If you call ahead, you can schedule your visit for a day when the fish is fresh from the sea and was bought in a Boston market at the crack of dawn. The tuna steaks go into our freezer individually wrapped, each one to appear as needed for Never-Canned Tuna Salad.

This is almost as easy as canned: Defrost a tuna steak in the microwave in a loosely covered glass container. When thawed, cook in the same container for one and a half to two minutes on high, depending on the size of the steak. Flake the tuna with any juices that have escaped while cooking. Pop in the freezer if you’re in a hurry.

While the fish cools, mix the dressing. I use a more-or-less equal mix of whole milk yogurt and mayonnaise. (The exact proportion depends on how virtuous I‘m feeling.) To this I add salt and pepper and a dash of balsamic vinegar. The quantity of dressing depends on how large the tuna steak is, but don’t worry about making too much. Leftover dressing is fine for dipping veg or perking up any vegetable or fruit salad.

I can’t eat raw vegetables, but, if I could, I’d add anything I have around or fresh in the garden. In winter, diced apples would be nice. Definitely no rubbery celery.

Mix it all up and let it sit for at least a half an hour in the refrigerator. Then make sandwiches or serve in a heap with warm and crusty bread on the side.

Ruth Julian