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From: johnl@ima.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.cooks
Subject: Re: Re: {*} Salad for sandwich fillings
Message-ID: <510@ima.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 14-Mar-85 23:35:53 EST
Article-I.D.: ima.510
Posted: Thu Mar 14 23:35:53 1985
Date-Received: Sun, 17-Mar-85 01:19:32 EST
Lines: 34
Nf-ID: #R:dual:-96000:ima:6700002:000:2039
Nf-From: ima!johnl    Mar 14 22:47:00 1985

I always thought tuna salad was one of those things that didn't need a
recipe, but considering some of the awful guck I've had that claimed to be
tuna salad, that was silly.  In any event, this recipe is tuned for New
England tastes, for people who think fish in any form is delicious.

You start with cheap tunafish, the kind usually labeled Chunk Light and often
found on sale at 2 for a dollar.  If you think Chunk Light tastes too fishy or
are concerned that tuna netters do in porpoises, you can use the more expensive
white tuna, although I've heard that the fishermen have changed the way they
sling their nets to avoid snaring porpoises, and if you don't like fishy tastes
why are you making tuna salad?  Make chicken salad instead, using the same
recipe.  But as usual I digress.

Take equal parts of tuna and chopped celery.  Tuna and celery aren't usually
the same shape making them somewhat incommensurate, but one large stalk of
celery is an equal part to a regular 7 oz. can of tuna.  Chop the celery
fairly well.  Drain the tuna unless it's the expensive Italian kind in olive
oil, in which case the olive oil will mix into the mayo and make it better.
Mix up vigorously with lots of mayo and a large tablespoon of wet mustard.
I often throw in about 1/2 t of thyme or oregano and a vigorous grating of
pepper.  Prepared mayo and canned tuna are pretty salty, so you probably
won't want any extra salt.  I like my tuna fairly gloppy, but then I don't
put any mayo on the bread when I make a sandwich so it evens out.

The most important point is that nothing in the recipe is sacred.  Feel like
putting in a crumbled hard-boiled egg?  Go right ahead.  Want more crunch?
Add more celery.  Want to stir in some jalapeno peppers?  I don't like it,
but be my guest.  But don't forget the mustard.

John Levine, ima!johnl

PS:  For tuna salad in its most quintessential form, drop by the Broadway
Pizza Palace in New Haven, Conn. and get a Hot Tuna Grinder.  The ones at
Clark's Pizza a few blocks to the west aren't bad either.