I'm always trying to exhibit/show something a little different when it comes time to write my entry for Weekend Herb Blogging. I made my tuna salad with toasted pine nuts and I I surmised that pine nuts would be a good topic. Before we go on to 101 pine nuts, make sure you click-on over to Chris' site Mele Cotte for her food musings and her round-up of the other WHB entries.
Pine nuts are exactly that, seeds/nuts from a pine (the Pinacaea family). Pine nuts can be found in native Indian, European and Asian cuisines. Pine nuts contain 31 gr. of protein per 100 gr (the highest of any nut or seed so, the next time you wince at the price of pine nuts be at ease that you're getting more bang for your buck! Pine nuts can go bad/rancid but a great way to preserve them is in a jar or ziplock bag in the freezer.
I have my stable of "go-to's" when it comes to sandwiches and tuna salad is right up there. It's not fishy, it's filling, inexpensive and nutritious.
I saw this recipe for tuna salad years ago but I can't cite the source, so if I've stepped on anyone's toes, mea culpa.
What stands out in this tuna salad redux is the tarragon and toasted pine nuts. Try it, you'll be pleasantly surprised!
Tuna Salad With Toasted Pine Nuts
1 tin of water-packed tuna, drained
1 shallot or 1/4 red onion, diced
3 Tbsp chopped fresh chives
1 Tbsp chopped fresh tarragon
1 tsp creamy Dijon mustard
1 rib of celery, diced
2-3 Tbsp of mayonnaise
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
salt & pepper to taste
- In a pan on medium-high heat, throw in your pine nuts and contstantly swirl the pan to shake your pine nuts while they toast. They should take about 5-10 minutes and you know they are toasted when you can smell them. Take off the heat and reserve.
- Drain your tin of tuna thoroughly. Add the remaining ingredients and mix with a fork. Adjust seasoning and , mayo for creamyness.
7 comments:
This is great! For as much as I love pine nuts, I don't know why I haven't thought of placing them in my tuna. I won't make that error again! Thanks!
And, thanks for participating in WHB.
I'm making this soon! (And I am not the kind of woman who goes around saying that to all the food bloggers, if you're wondering.) I think you had me at the combination of tuna and fresh tarragon.
Chris, the flavour combo works!
Kalyn, no one said otherwise...you will try it - you will like it.
Love pine nuts! Never thought of putting them with the tuna. Duh!
I put them in everything else! (Also eat them right out of the bag,so bad)
Nice to see someone else using lots of tarragon and chives!
Sounds like a very lovely combination. Never thought of mixing pine nuts with tuna. :)
Oh, this looks good - a little creamy, a little crunchy, a little tarragon-y, and (best of all) a way to get out of my tuna salad rut. Right into my recipe file it goes!
Well I already know that pine nuts are great in tuna salad (well, I think they are great in everything!!), but I haven't tried the tarragon and that sounds wonderful, too! Thanks for another great idea!
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