Ingredients:
1 can Tuna - (either canned or packs, which ever you prefer. I would recommend always going with flake in water when buying in cans though!)
1 tbsp-1/4 cup Mayo
1 tsp Dijon Mustard
1-2 Jalapenos, diced fine
1 Shallot, diced fine
1 cup of Green Olives, diced - (I usually use regular pitted and pimento stuffed olives)
Hot Pepper Flakes, Salt & Pepper to taste.
- Drain your tuna well and flake into a mixing bowl.
- add in the vegetables, olives, pepper flakes, salt and pepper and mix well.
- Add mustard and mayonnaise, starting with 1 tbsp of mayo. Mix and decided if you want to add more mayo or not. I personally don't like my tuna salad too runny, so I tend to go easier on the mayo and use just enough that it's spreadable and doesn't fall apart.
- Mix well and you're done!
Now that you have a bowl full of tuna what are you going to do with it? Well it makes great tea sandwiches on whatever bread you like, especially with some crunchy greens like sprouts or water cress. In the past year I have gone to a gluten/wheat free diet so instead of sandwiches I make rice wraps with Vietnamese style rice paper. The packaging of the wraps usually has some basic instructions, but for ease of understanding here is how I use them:
- Fill a large bowl with lukewarm water, you want it about room temperature but really, who has the time to wait for that. Just don't fill it with water too hot to put your hand in and you'll be fine. The bowl should be large enough that a single rice wrap can float in it without getting bent.
- Lay out a clean, slightly dampened tea towel on a flat surface large enough to lay out a wrap. Have a second clean tea towel on hand.
- Place a single wrap in the bowl of water and let it sit until it softens. The amount of time this takes will depend on the brand of wrap and the temperature of your water. It's taken me a number of months working with them to get to the point that I don't either tear the first few, or take them from the water too soon which leaves them chewy in a bad way. Just practice, it's not like the packs of wraps cost a whole bunch.
- Remove the wrap and lay it out flat on the damp towel. Lay your second tea towel on top of the wrap and press on it to remove the excess moisture.
- Spoon about 3 or 4 tbsps of the tuna filling onto the wrap, ever so slightly lower than centre and in a line that doesn't reach to the edges. Add some crunchy, thin sliced veggies like undressed coleslaw or the aforementioned water cress *yum!*.
- Begin rolling your wrap by lifting the bottom edge and tucking it over your filling, then roll over once, tightening as needed as you do. Fold the sides in, overlapping your roll and then finish rolling up.
- Place your wraps in a container or on a plate lined with wax or parchment paper as they can stick to smooth hard surfaces. They tend to be best if you make them one day and eat them the next, it just lets the flavors meld together well!
Enjoy!
