Summertime Tuna Salad

In these hottest, humid days of summer I like to serve what's called in the South, a cold supper. 

(Supper being the evening meal Southerners are having while Yankees are having dinner :) )

Quick and easy, you can make it before you go to the beach and it's flavors have had a few hours to sit and mingle by the time you come home.

basil - the secret ingredient

chop the celery stalk

chop the red onion

 and the green onion
 

stack and tightly roll the basil leaves for the chiffonade

slice the basil into a chiffonade

the vegetable ingredients

 add the tuna and flake with a fork

mix to combine

 add the mayo and stir

Mmmm Mmmm!

Summertime Tuna Salad

active time: 15 minutes

total time: 1 hour 15 minutes 
makes: 5 servings

1 large can (12oz) solid white tuna in water OR

3 small cans (5 ½ oz) tuna in water (solid, chunk light or both) drained (not too dry)

1 stalk celery chopped fine

1 green onion chopped fine

1/6 medium red onion chopped fine

8 – 10 leaves fresh basil, cut into a chiffonade

juice from ½ a lemon

5 twists fresh ground pepper

6 tablespoons mayonnaise

enough bread for 5 sandwiches OR 5 large, ripe tomatoes

1. Empty tuna into a large bowl and flake with a fork. Add the next 6 ingredients and mix together. Add mayo and mix well. Add more mayo if needed.

2. If you can wait! cover and refrigerate for an hour or so to let flavors blend.

3. Mound tuna salad onto bread of your choice with tomato and lettuce OR hollow out a large ripe tomato and stuff with the salad. Serve with dill pickle spears if you like.