Tuna & Tomatoes ProvenÃ§ale

This tuna salad is perfect for those hot summer days when tomatoes are abundant and cooking is out of the question.

6 servings

Active Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

Nutrition Profile

Ingredients

2 cloves garlic, crushed and peeled
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic, or red-wine vinegar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 6-ounce cans chunk light tuna, drained and flaked (see Note)
1/2 cup diced roasted red peppers
1/4 cup chopped pitted black olives
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1/4 cup chopped fresh chives, or scallion greens
2 tablespoons drained capers
4 large vine-ripened tomatoes
Several fresh basil leaves for garnish

Preparation

Mash garlic and salt into a paste; transfer to a large bowl. Add oil, vinegar, lemon juice and black pepper. Whisk until well blended. Add tuna, red peppers, olives, chopped basil, chives (or scallions) and capers. Toss gently to combine.
Slice tomatoes 1/2 inch thick and arrange on a serving platter. Sprinkle tuna mixture evenly over tomatoes. Let stand 20 minutes to let flavors meld. Garnish with whole basil leaves just before serving.

Tips & Notes

Note: Canned white tuna comes from the large albacore and can be high in mercury content. Chunk light tuna, on the other hand, which comes from smaller fish—skipjack or yellowfin—is best for health-conscious eaters. According to a recent study, canned white tuna samples averaged about 315 percent more mercury than chunk light tuna samples. (The chunk light tunas averaged 0.132 parts per million mercury content, while the white [albacore] tunas averaged 0.412 ppm.)

Nutrition

Per serving: 180 calories; 6 g fat (1 g sat, 4 g mono); 35 mg cholesterol; 10 g carbohydrates; 18 g protein; 2 g fiber; 342 mg sodium; 317 mg potassium.

Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin C (35% daily value), Vitamin A (30% dv).

1/2 Carbohydrate Serving

Exchanges: 2 vegetable, 2 lean meat, 1 fat