Name: Tuna Salad Sandwiches Two Ways
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: About 4 sandwiches, depending on the chosen version
Ingredients: [Deli tuna salad] 225g canned tuna, drained; [Deli tuna salad] 110g mayonnaise; [Deli tuna salad] 50g bread-and-butter pickles, finely chopped; [Deli tuna salad] 20–30g shallot, finely diced and rinsed; [Deli tuna salad] 10g capers, roughly chopped; [Deli tuna salad] 35g celery, finely diced; [Deli tuna salad] 30g yellow mustard; [Deli tuna salad] 1.5g salt; [Deli tuna salad] 1g cracked black pepper; [For serving] Thick-cut toasted bread, shredded lettuce and extra pickles; [Optional homemade mayonnaise] 1 large egg; [Optional homemade mayonnaise] 20g water; [Optional homemade mayonnaise] 20g white distilled vinegar; [Optional homemade mayonnaise] 5g salt; [Optional homemade mayonnaise] 325g neutral oil; [Mediterranean tuna salad] 220g oil-poached tuna or good oil-packed white tuna; [Mediterranean tuna salad] 25–30g shallot, finely minced; [Mediterranean tuna salad] 10g parsley, chopped; [Mediterranean tuna salad] 30g roasted red pepper, diced; [Mediterranean tuna salad] 10g fennel, finely diced; [Mediterranean tuna salad] 25g Kalamata olives, chopped; [Mediterranean tuna salad] 10–15g capers, chopped; [Mediterranean tuna salad] 35g olive oil, plus more to finish; [Mediterranean tuna salad] 20g red-wine vinegar; [Mediterranean tuna salad] Cracked black pepper; [Optional oil-poached tuna] 500g raw bigeye or yellowfin tuna; [Optional oil-poached tuna] Salt; [Optional oil-poached tuna] About 500g olive oil for poaching

Method

7 steps

[Deli tuna salad] Mix the canned tuna, mayonnaise, pickles, shallot, capers, celery, mustard, salt and pepper, breaking the tuna into medium pieces.
[Deli tuna salad] Toast the bread, spread lightly with mayonnaise and add a generous amount of tuna salad. Finish with extra pickles, pepper and shredded lettuce.
[Optional homemade mayonnaise] Put the egg, water, vinegar and salt in a tall container. Blend with a hand blender while slowly streaming in the neutral oil until emulsified.
[Mediterranean tuna salad] Mix the tuna, shallot, parsley, roasted pepper, fennel, olives, capers, olive oil, vinegar and pepper.
[Mediterranean tuna salad] Serve on crusty bread and finish with a little more olive oil and black pepper.
[Optional oil-poached tuna] Salt the tuna on both sides. Heat the olive oil to 65°C/150°F, add the tuna and poach gently for 25–30 minutes, keeping the oil near 65°C.
[Optional oil-poached tuna] Remove from the heat and cool for about 30 minutes before flaking into the salad.

Recipe notes

Helpful tips

Rinse the diced shallot under cold water to soften its raw flavour.
Break the tuna into medium pieces rather than turning it into a paste.
Use good oil-packed tuna for the Mediterranean version if not poaching fresh tuna.
Keep the oil near 65°C when poaching tuna.