Tuna Salad From David Gurewitz Of La Dive

I grew up eating a lot of tuna salad. My dad would always make it, and his version is still my favorite. I don’t know his exact recipe, but there was hard-boiled egg in it, plus carrots and a lot of chopped pickle. Curiously, he hates mayo. (Like, he is legitimately repulsed by it. Loves tuna salad, though. He’s a strange guy.) Hence, mayo is the keystone of the whole operation. You’ve got to use enough so it won’t be dry, but a smidge too much and the whole thing is sunk. His rationale is a mess, but I find I agree with the results, and I employ the same strategy whenever I make tuna salad. (I apologize for a tuna salad recipe that is measured predominantly in grams. It seems so extra.)

Two 5-ounce cans tuna, drained very well of liquid 1 fillet anchovy (optional)

1 clove garlic

5 grams capers

65 grams celery, small dice

10 grams (about 1) scallion, thinly sliced

10 grams whole grain or Creole mustard

75 grams mayo

Salt and black pepper, to taste

Sliced pickles and hard-boiled eggs (optional) Potato chips

Finely chop the garlic with the anchovy and the capers (or crush together in a mortar with a pestle) – try to make a paste.

Flake the tuna into a bowl with a fork or your hands until whatever texture satisfies you. Add the garlic/anchovy paste and the remaining ingredients, and mix well.

The tuna salad tastes best if refrigerated for an hour or so before eating. Adding slices of pickle and hard-boiled egg is highly recommended (or, if you prefer, just chop some up and mix ‘em right in). Super bonus points if you put potato chips in the sandwich, but anyhow, it seems incomplete if there aren’t at least some on the side.