Spaghetti Squash with Sofrito and Beans

I have heard sofrito is to Latin and Puerto Rican cuisines as the trinity is to Cajun cuisine. So many recipes I have collected from recipe boards and Pinterest start with sofrito. As I understand it each Puerto Rican family has their own sofrito recipe. Sofrito is usually a saute of onions, garlic, peppers, cilantro and tomatoes. It is added to everything from stew to beans. I have always wanted to try it for myself. This week I decided to finally give it a try. A long time ago during an online search, I saw a menu item called Spaghetti Squash with Sofrito and Beans. There was just a description no recipe or photo. For some reason it has been in the back of my mind as something I wanted to try one day. Well now I have gone and done it. And it is really good too. I love sofrito! It adds a sweet and tangy flavor to the beans. Dear sister remarked that it was similar to caponata. The onions, peppers, garlic and tomatoes really sweeten the sauce. The olives and capers add zippy acidity. This sofrito and beans is delicious on the spaghetti squash but I think it would be great in so many other ways. I think it would be great over rice, it would make a great side, a dip with corn chips or a filling for tacos or empanadas. I look forward to more experimenting with sofrito.

Spaghetti Squash with Sofrito and Beans

Serves 4

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

1 green pepper, chopped

1 red bell pepper, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 medium tomatoes, chopped

1/2 cup cilantro, chopped (plus more for garnish)

8 oz. can no salt added tomato sauce

1-1/2 tsp. Sazon seasoning

3/4 tsp. kosher salt, or to taste

1/4 tsp. black pepper, or to taste

1/8 tsp. red pepper flakes, or to taste

1 can low sodium black beans, drained and rinsed

1 can low sodium red kidney beans, drained and rinsed

1/4 cup pimiento stuffed olives, sliced

1 Tbsp. capers

2 small spaghetti squash

Directions

Heat a 3-1/2 quart saucepan over medium high heat. Add olive oil, onion, green and red peppers; sauté until onion is translucent. Add garlic, continue to sauté until fragrant. Add tomatoes, cilantro, tomato sauce and seasonings, stir to combine and bring back to a simmer. Add beans, olives and capers, cover and simmer on low while preparing the squash. Taste for seasoning and adjust if necessary.

To prepare spaghetti squash: Cut squash in half. Scoop out seeds and discard. Place cut side down in a microwave safe dish, add 1/4 cup of water and cover with plastic wrap. Microwave for 8 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes (You may have to do each squash or half separately). When squash is cool enough to handle, pull the squash into spaghetti like threads. Season with salt and pepper.

To serve: Top each spaghetti squash half with a serving of sofrito and beans. Garnish with additional cilantro if desired.

Linking to:
Miz Helen's Country Cottage: Full Plate Thursday
Love Bakes Good Cakes: Freedom Fridays with All My Bloggy Friends
Reasons To Skip The Housework: STH Link Party
God's Growing Garden: Tuesday with a Twist
Spatulas On Parade: Wonderful Wednesday
Dizzy Busy & Hungry: Wine'd Down Wednesday
Buns In My Oven: What's Cookin' Wednesday
Ramblings of a (Bad) Domestic Goddess: Healthy Living Link Party

Salmon Cream Cheese Relleno Taco

It's that time again! Time for another Relleno Taco creation. When I started thinking about more ideas for a relleno tacos, I had just made the Mesquite Grilled Tacos. So I had fish tacos and pico still on my brain. So the idea of using salmon and a tomato caper salsa seemed logical. I knew salmon, capers and shallots were delicious together with cream cheese. And you know chilies and cream cheese are a perfect match. I could not have been happier with the outcome. This one is perfect for summer! Lots of cool and fresh ingredients. It was so good! Sort of a jalapeno popper, lox bagel and taco all wrapped into one. It had the contrast of hot and cold ingredients. It was salty, briny and a little sweet from the salsa. It was also smoky and spicy from the charred poblano. Then there was the cream cheese; it tamed the spice of the chili and added a creamy component. It had just a little bit of everything going for it. I LOVED IT! It may be in my top three of all relleno tacos. I can't wait to make it for a girl's night. The poblano and cream cheese combination is sparking many more delicious ideas. I hope you will give this one a try. Be sure to come back for more relleno taco creations in the future.

Salmon Cream Cheese Relleno Tacos
Serves 2, Make 4 tacos

Ingredients

6 to 8 oz. salmon filet
Drizzle of olive oil
Herb Medley Rub
2 Poblano peppers
4 flour tortillas
4 oz. cream cheese, softened

Tomato Caper Salsa:
1 tomato, diced
1/2 shallot, finely diced
3 tsp. capers
1/2 tsp. white balsamic vinegar
Kosher salt, to taste
Black pepper, to taste
Red pepper flakes, to taste
1 Tbsp. chopped parsley

Directions

Set salmon out on the counter to take the chill off of it. Preheat oven to 475 degrees. 

Combine the ingredients for the tomato caper salsa, mix well and set aside.

To grill the poblanos: Pre-heat grill to medium-high heat for 10 minutes. Place poblanos on the grill. Grill for five minutes on each side until skins are charred. Remove poblanos and cover with plastic wrap. When poblanos are cool enough to touch, peel off the skin of the poblanos. Cut poblanos in half from stem to tip, remove seeds, stem and veins being careful not to split open the sides of the pepper.

To cook the salmon: Grease a baking sheet with a little olive oil or use a sheet of aluminum foil. Place salmon on the baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil. Season salmon with Herb Medley Rub. Bake for 6 minutes, remove from oven and flake with a fork.

To warm tortillas: Place a skillet on high heat, when hot warm the tortillas on both sides until warm and blistered. 

To assemble the tacos:  Place a poblano half on each tortilla. Smear a 1 oz. slice of cream cheese on each poblano. Top with a fourth of the flaked salmon, tomato caper salsa and serve.

Linking to:
The Tumbleweed Contessa: What'd You Do This Weekend?
Dizzy Busy & Hungry: Wine'd Down Wednesday
Buns In My Oven: What's Cookin' Wednesday
Spatulas On Parade: Wonderful Wednesday
The Lazy Gastronome: Taco Tuesday

Piccadilly Salad

Growing up the family would go to the cafeteria on occasion. Piccadilly Cafeteria is what I remember most. The funny thing is I don't remember the entrees we would get. I remember choosing the appetizers and dessert. There was an Italian salad, gumbo and cheesecake. That is the extent of my memory of the dishes we would always get. I remember the cheesecake being a must have and then having to agonize over whether to get the salad or gumbo. The funny thing is I remember us all getting the gumbo, but Mom and Dad always complained because it wasn't like home. The salad on the other hand was always delicious. It was served ice cold in a little square baking dish with the dressing on the side. It sat on a chilled buffet table so even the dish was cold. This week I decided to relive those cafeteria days by making a Piccadilly Salad at home. The salad is very simple but very flavorful as well. It is a simple layered salad starting with iceberg lettuce. All the flavor comes from the salty and savory toppings. The Parmesan is nutty, the capers briny and the anchovies add salty, slightly fishy, umami flavor. Then you drizzle the whole thing with Italian dressing. With all this flavor there is no need for salt just some freshly ground black pepper. It is so good! Dear sister thought there may have been olives on the cafeteria salad. I tried it with and without. Both are great but I think I like without because the capers shine more. This is a great starter for a dinner party. You can assemble them ahead of time and refrigerate until ready to serve. They will be ice cold just like the salad of my youth. 

Piccadilly Salad
Serves 1

Ingredients

1/4 head of iceberg lettuce, shredded
1 to 2 Tbsp. Parmesan cheese, shredded
1 to 2 tsp. capers, drained
Black pepper, to taste
2 anchovie filets
2 Tbsp. Italian salad dressing (fat free works too)

Directions

Assemble salad in a chilled bowl. Layer lettuce, Parmesan and capers. Season with black pepper. Garnish with two anchovies and a shot glass filled with Italian dressing. To serve pour dressing over the top.

Print It

Linking to:
The Tumbleweed Contessa: What'd You Do This Weekend?
Yesterfood: Treasure Box Tuesday
God's Growing Garden: Tuesdays with a Twist

Tuna Puttanesca Spaghetti Squash

I must be going through a spicy phase. Today for lunch I made a spicy puttanesca sauce to pour over spaghetti squash. The first time I heard of puttanesca sauce was on a Rachael Ray show. She had a colorful story about how certain ladies would put a pot of this intoxicating sauce in the window to draw people in. Traditional puttanesca sauce begins with melting anchovies, garlic and red pepper flakes into olive oil. It is delicious! But it was also Rachael Ray who I first saw substitute tuna for the anchovies. It bumped up the protein in the sauce, by the way also delicious. I have been making both for years. I have made Rachael Ray's recipes, I have made my own one pot pasta, I even made a Tuna Salad Puttanesca Style. It was just recently that I thought about serving it over spaghetti squash. I made it chunky style using no salt added diced tomatoes with garlic, oregano and basil. After all the other ingredients like tuna, olives and capers will add a saltiness to the sauce. It turned out delicious. I used 1/2 teaspoon of red pepper flakes and it is nice and spicy. If you are sensitive to spicy you might start with 1/4 teaspoon and add more after tasting. I love the vermouth because it adds a herb note in the background, but you can always use a little white wine if that is what you have on hand. Don't be afraid of the tuna; this sauce is not fishy, it is just spicy, savory and delicious. I hope you will give it a try. Besides you never know who might follow the aromas to your kitchen?

Tuna Puttanesca Spaghetti Squash

Yield: 2 servings

Ingredients

1 small spaghetti squash

1 Tbsp. olive oil

1/4 to 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes (to taste)

2 garlic cloves, minced

5 oz. can tuna, drained

1 oz. vermouth

14.5 oz. can no salt added diced tomatoes with garlic, oregano and basil

2.25 oz. can sliced black olives, drained

2 tsp. capers, drained

Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste

Parmesan cheese, shredded

Directions

To prepare spaghetti squash: Cut squash in half. Scoop out seeds and discard. Place cut side down in a microwave safe dish, add 1/4 cup of water and cover with plastic wrap. Microwave for 7 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes. When squash is cool enough to handle, pull the squash into spaghetti like threads. Season with salt and pepper.

Heat a 2 quart saucepan over medium high heat. Add olive oil, red pepper and garlic; sauté until fragrant. Add tuna and stir breaking up any large pieces. Add vermouth, tomatoes, olives and capers. Season with black pepper and simmer about 10 minutes. Serve over spaghetti squash and garnish with parmesan cheese.

Linking to:
Dizzy Busy & Hungry: Wine'd Down Wednesday
Love Bakes Good Cakes: Freedom Fridays with All My Bloggy Friends
The Diary of a Real Housewife: Friday Favorites
Ms. enPlace: See Ya in the Gumbo
Creating Silver Linings: Corn-free Every Day Link Party
Anyonita Nibbles: #tastytuesdays
Back to the Basics: Tuesdays with a Twist

Two Olive Tapenades - 1 Spicy, 1 Rich

I told you about the Hummus Vegetable Sandwich I have been making. They are so good. Well I was cheating a little. I was just finely chopping up olives instead of using tapenade. Mainly because I could not find pre-made at the store the day I went to look for it. The good thing about my cheat is that it inspired one of these tapenade recipes. I was using jalapeno stuffed green olives for the sandwich. So when I went to make my green olive tapenade I substituted pickled jalapenos for the capers. The results is the green olive version is spicy, zesty and bright. The black olive version is rich and fruity. So delicious! Tapenade is so easy to make. The food processor does all the work. Just place the ingredients in and pulse until chopped, then turn it on and drizzle in the olive oil. That is it. You have a delicious spread for crostini or sandwiches and wraps.

Spicy Green Olive Tapenade
Makes over 1 cup (9 oz.)

Ingredients

6 oz. can dry weight green olives*, pitted and drained
1 garlic clove, minced
3 sprigs of thyme, leaves picked
1 sprig of parsley
1 large leaf of basil, torn
1 Tbsp. pickled jalapeno, sliced
Zest and juice of 1/2 a lemon
1/2 shallot (or 1/4 small red onion), minced 
2 Tbsp. olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Add the first eight ingredients to a food processor. Pulse and drizzle in the olive oil. 

Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper and more lemon juice if desired. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Rich Black Olive Tapenade
Makes over 1 cup (9 oz.)

Ingredients

6 oz. can dry weight black olives*, pitted and drained
1 garlic clove, minced
3 sprigs of thyme, leaves picked
1 sprig of parsley
1 large leaf of basil
2 tsp. capers in white balsamic vinegar, drained
Zest and juice of 1/2 a lemon
1/2 Shallot, minced
2 Tbsp. olive oil
Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions

Add the first eight ingredients to a food processor. Pulse and drizzle in the olive oil. 

Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper and more lemon juice if desired. Serve warm or at room temperature.

*Note: I used Lindsay Naturals Olives for both these tapenades. I bought them as a lower sodium option. I did not receive any compensation for using their products.

Linking to:
My Turn for Us: Freedom Fridays with All My Bloggy Friends
Reasons To Skip The Housework: Skip The Housework Link Party
Ms. enPlace: See Ya in the Gumbo
Dizzy, Busy & Hungry: Wine'd Down Wednesday

Grilled Shrimp Po Boy with Kickin' Po Boy Sauce

Happy New Year everyone! (Very belated) I have observed all my New Year Traditions. I spent it with my favorite person in the world. I had a meal of smothered cabbage and black eye peas with the family when I returned. This year is off to a great start.

Central Texas was cold and rainy. We cooked black eye peas and a few other things together. We discovered we do not like fresh black eye peas we prefer dried. This totally surprised both of us. I mean fresh is usually better? Right? I guess in this case we have been cooking from dry so long that they evoke that comforting memory. The fresh were not bad? Just different. They smelled and taste different. They even took longer to cook. Odd? We won't try that again.

We did make a good old fashioned 7 Layer Dip for New Year's Eve. We made our own guacamole and added many pickled jalapenos, so technically it might have been an eight layer dip. It was amazing how happy this made us. I don't know why I don't make this more often. It has been years since I made one. We also cooked many other things. Mayo Baked Tilapia and Veggies, Beef Filet and Mushroom Pan Sauce and of course lots of Breakfasts. That is his specialty. But the stand out recipe of the week was a Grilled Shrimp Po Boy. 

This Po Boy was amazing! It was really just a "winging it" recipe. My favorite person wanted a good po-boy on good bread. So he bought the bread from Jimmy John's. As for what to put on the po boy? We both agreed shrimp. We talked about using a marinade for BBQ Shrimp he was given by a friend. Well? We left our shopping list at home so we left a key ingredient at the store. So this marinade is the result. It was still great. I don't know if you can tell much difference from the original. They are well flavored with a hint of smoke from the grill. Perfect on their own or on a po boy. I asked what kind of sauce he wanted. He said something with a kick. Well I think "winging it" yet again worked to our benefit. We now have a Kickin' Po Boy Sauce. It's spicy, creamy, a little sweet and tangy. It had a nice flavor kick but did not over power or compete with the shrimp. It was so good! I will definitely make this for the family soon. Maybe on a warm day. We nearly froze to death at the grill that night. It was so so cold! But totally worth it. (Smiling)

Grilled Shrimp Po Boy with Kickin' Po Boy Sauce
Serves 2 or 3

Ingredients

For Shrimp and Marinade:
1 lb. large shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup ketchup
3 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
3 cloves minced garlic
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp hot sauce
2 tsp horseradish

For Kickin' Po Boy Sauce:
2 Tbsp. ketchup
2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
1 Tbsp. mayonnaise
1 to 2 tsp. capers
Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste

For Po Boy:
French bread, sliced in halved
Butter, softened
Kickin' Po Boy Sauce (recipe above)
Shredded lettuce
Tomato, sliced
Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
Grilled shrimp

Directions

For Shrimp Marinade: Combine everything but shrimp in a jar and shake to combine. Pour over the shrimp to cover. Let marinade at least 30 min before grilling.

For Kickin' Po Boy Sauce: Combine ingredients stirring well to combine. Set aside for later.

For the Po Boy: Pre-heat the grill to medium high heat. Butter both insides of french bread. Grill the shrimp a few minutes each side, until opaque and has nice grill marks. Place bread on the grill butter side down. Grill until butter has melted and has nice golden brown grill marks. Remove from grill and assemble the po boy. Spread the kickin' sauce on both sides of the bread, place lettuce, tomatoes on bottom half of bread. Season with salt and pepper. Top with grilled shrimp and the top half of the bread. Cut into 2 or 3 sandwiches. Serve immediately!

Linking to:
Ms. enPlace: See Ya in the Gumbo
Dizzy Busy & Hungry: Wine'd Down Wednesday
Buns In My Oven: What's Cookin' Wednesday
Miz Helen's Country Cottage: Full Plate Thursday
Love Bakes Good Cakes: Freedom Fridays with All My Bloggy Friends
The Diary of a Real Housewife: Friday Favorites

Smoked Salmon and Cream Cheese Sandwich

Here is another great sandwich recipe. It comes from the Greek Gods according to Yeero Yeero's menu. They call it the Maxim Sandwich. I call it amazing! It is a warm roll full of cool cream cheese, capers, salmon, onion, lettuce and tomato. They are the only Greek restaurant left that offers this delicious sandwich. I first tried this sandwich years ago at another restaurant that has since closed. When I saw it on the Yeero Yeero menu I was thrilled! It is simple enough to make at home too. The secret here is grilling the roll and marinating the onions. Grilling the roll toasts the bread and makes it easier to spread the cream cheese. Marinating the onions takes a little of the bite out of them. The little bit of vinegar also supports the tangy capers. I just love the combination. It is creamy, tangy, smoky and fresh. A really delicious light sandwich!

Smoked Salmon and Cream Cheese Sandwich

Serves 1

Ingredients

1 Tbsp onion, thinly sliced

2 tsp white vinegar

6” poboy, sub or hoagie roll

2 tsp light butter

3 Tbsp light cream cheese

1 tsp capers

1.5 oz smoked salmon

1/4 cup shredded lettuce

1 tomato slice, cut in half

Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

Place onion in a small bowl and drizzle with vinegar, set aside. Slice open roll into two equal slices leaving one side attached. Butter the inside or cut side of the roll. Place face down in a medium high skillet. Grill until golden brown and remove from the skillet. Remove onion from vinegar and drain on a paper towel. Spread cream cheese on the bottom half of the roll. Layer ingredients on top of cream cheese in the following order; capers, smoked salmon, onions, lettuce, and tomato. Season tomato with salt and pepper. Close the sandwich with top half of roll, slice in half and serve!

Note: I can make three sandwiches from a 4 oz package of smoked salmon.

Linking to:
My Turn for Us: Freedom Fridays
My Mixing Spoon: Random Recipe Roundup
The Chicken Chick: Clever Chicks Blog Hop
Call Me PMc: Marvelous Mondays
Ms. enPlace: See Ya in the Gumbo
The Tumbleweed Contessa: What'd You Do This Weekend?
The Plaid and Paisley Kitchen: Show Me Your Plaid Mondays
Anyonita Nibbles: Tasty Tuesdays
Memories by the Mile: Tuesday Trivia-Kansas and Link Party
Miz Helen's Country Cottage: Full Plate Thursday
Buns In My Oven: What's Cookin Wednesday
Carole's Chatter: Food on Fridays - Sandwiches
Food of the World Greece

Grilled Caponata Salad

I love Caponata! I usually make one of Rachael Ray's recipes. The recipe is for a pasta bake but I never make the pasta. I just make the Caponata. It is delicious with grilled chicken or as a snack. I love the sweet and sour flavor combination of the olives and raisins. It goes so well with eggplant and tomatoes. This week I decided to try making it on the grill. I used the large eggplant I got at Ed Lester Farms. I wanted to serve it as a pretty plated salad so I made a dressing too. I saw on the Chew that ketchup makes a great emulsifier for salad dressings. I knew that would be perfect for this salad, it would boost both the tomato flavor and the sweetness of the salad. It works really well. The dressing was thick and did not separate for hours and hours. I grilled the eggplant in large planks to serve as the bed of the salad. I used grapes instead of raisins. This may be my favorite part. I love the sweet grilled grapes with the olives and capers. I also used celery leaves instead of grilling celery. It adds a freshness at the end with the parsley. It was a delicious and beautiful salad. I can't wait to try it out as a starter for guests. It was so much faster than sauteing all the veggies in a pot. This salad would work well as a stacked salad too. You could slice the eggplant into rounds putting a layer of veggies between the grilled rounds. Or just chop the eggplant and mix with all the other ingredients and serve as a chopped salad. I have to admit the salad is not as pretty after it has been refrigerated but it still taste delicious. I suggest setting any leftover on the counter to bring to room temperature. I liked it better that way. I hope you will try it. This salad is definitely not boring each fork full is interesting in it's own way.

Grilled Caponata Salad

Serves 8

Ingredients

1 large eggplant, sliced into 8 - 1/2” planks

1 large red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and cut in half

1 Anaheim pepper, stemmed, seeded and cut in half

1 medium red onion, peeled and sliced in 1/2” rounds

1 pint cherry tomatoes

1 bunch red grapes on the stem

Olive oil

Kosher salt, black pepper and red pepper flakes, to taste

1/2 cup green olives, sliced

1/2 cup kalamata olives, sliced

2 Tbsp capers

1/3 cup celery leaves, chopped

1/3 cup parsley, chopped

1/4 cup Caponata Vinaigrette (recipe below)

Directions

Preheat grill to medium-high heat (10 min).

Rub eggplant, pepper halves, onion, tomatoes and grapes with olive oil. Season eggplant, pepper halves, onion and tomatoes with salt, black pepper and red pepper flakes. Place tomatoes on skewers. Place everything on the grill, grill about 5 minutes a side until tender. Remove each vegetable to a platter when they are done. Remove grapes from stem and tomatoes from skewers add to a medium bowl. Chop peppers and onions add to tomatoes and grapes. Add olives, capers, celery leaves, parsley and vinaigrette, stir to combine. To serve, place a slice of eggplant in the center of a salad plate. Drizzle with a little of the vinaigrette and top with a couple of heaping spoons of the vegetable mixture. Garnish with more celery and parsley leaves.

Caponata Vinaigrette

Makes approx. 1/2 cup

Ingredients

3 oz olive oil

1 oz Balsamic vinegar

1 anchovy, mashed into a paste

1 garlic clove, minced

1 tsp honey

1 Tbsp ketchup

1 tsp parsley, chopped

1 tsp basil, chopped

1/2 tsp oregano, chopped

Salt, black pepper and red pepper flakes, to taste

Directions

Mix vinaigrette ingredients in a small mason jar. Secure with lid and shake until emulsified. Store remaining dressing in the refrigerator for up to a week.

Linking to:
Ms. enPlace: See Ya in the Gumbo
The Plaid and Paisley Kitchen: Show Me Your Plaid Mondays
Call Me PMc: Marvelous Mondays Link Party
Jam Hands: Recipe Sharing Monday
Anyonita's Nibbles: Tasty Tuesdays
Love Bakes Good Cakes: All My Bloggy Friends
Memories by the Mile: Tuesday Trivia-Ohio and Link Party
Buns In My Oven: What's Cookin Wednesday
Miz Helen's Country Cottage: Full Plate Thursday
Carole's Chatter: Food on Friday - Eggplant
My Pinterventures: Summer Salads Party

Tuna Salad Puttanesca Style

Yesterday for lunch I got a little adventurous in the kitchen. Instead of boiling eggs and making my usual tuna salad with mayonnaise, I thought I would try an Italian style tuna with olive oil. The only problem was I could not put my hands on the recipe I thought I had. I remembered it had olives, an herb and olive oil, but that was all I remembered. I thought about other Italian recipes that had olives in it and Puttanesca came to mind. It is usually a tomato based pasta sauce with anchovies, garlic, red pepper flakes, olives and capers. I make Rachael Ray’s version with tuna all the time. I decided to try to turn it into a tuna salad. Oh! I am so glad I did. This is a great blend of ingredients. The white balsamic vinegar really smooths out all the flavors, I love the capers too. They are the one ingredient that pops on occasion with a little salty bite. Next time I might try adding orzo or another short cut pasta to fill it out. Then it will be a meal with all the food groups represented. I will definitely make this again before Lent is over.

Tuna Salad Puttanesca Style

Serves 3 – 4

Ingredients

12 oz can light tuna in water, drained and flaked

1 small shallot, finely chopped

1 roma tomato, chopped

2 tsp capers

1 Tbsp kalamata olives, sliced

1 handful flat leaf parsley, chopped

1 Tbsp olive oil, or to taste

1 tsp white balsamic vinegar

1/4 tsp Mrs. Dash Garlic and Herb Seasoning

1/2 tsp salt, or to taste

1/4 tsp black pepper, or to taste

1/8 tsp red pepper flakes, or to taste

Optional garnish for serving:

3 – 4 roma tomatoes

Directions

In a medium bowl combine all ingredients stir mixing well until all ingredients are well distributed. Taste for seasoning, adjust if necessary. Cover and place in the refrigerator to chill. (It is delicious just mixed but if you chill it a while the flavors will blend a little more.)

For serving: Remove the tops from the roma tomatoes, turn cut side down and cut into quarters leaving the bottom 1/4” still attached. It should open up like a flower. Fill the center of each tomato with tuna salad.

Linking to:

Love Bakes Good Cakes: All My Bloggy Friends
Ms.enPlace: See Ya in the Gumbo
This Gal Cooks: Marvelous Mondays
Carole's Chatter: Food on Fridays - Tuna

The Crafty Side of Sarcasm: Retro Repin Party