I recently finished an absolutely wonderful little book called ‘Mediterranean Summer’ – about a chef, David Shalleck, who spends a few summers cruising the coast of Italy and France as a chef aboard a luxury yacht….my 3 loves (Italy, cooking, sailing) all in one novel! I read it in one sitting on a flight back from Italy and wished there was more. He whips up a Marinated Chickpea and Arugula Salad on board …a salad that I am very familiar with as my family has made it in many variations over the years. In this version, I used a can of oil-packed Italian tuna. I have used fresh tuna in the past; omitted the arugula; substituted canellini beans for the chickpeas. This is a great salad to take to a picnic or day at the sea. You can layer the tuna over the chickpea salad, then throw the arugula over the tuna and toss it all together just before serving. Enjoy….
Insalata di Ceci, Tonno e Ruchetta: Marinated Chickpea, Tuna and Arugula Salad
From the book ‘Mediterranean Summer’ (author: David Shalleck)
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons minced red onion
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
Freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 (15-ounce) cans chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 medium carrot, finely diced
1 tablespoon chopped Italian parsley
1 can oil-packed Italian tuna
2 cups or so loosely packed arugula
Directions:
1. In a small bowl, mix together the minced red onion, garlic, red wine vinegar, salt and freshly ground pepper. Whisk to blend and slowly add in the olive oil in a steady stream.
2. In a bowl large enough to accommodate the entire salad, mix the chickpeas, chopped carrot and parsley. Add in the dressing and stir to coat.
3. Cover and refrigerater for a few hours to allow the flavors to meld. Mix from time to time.
4. When ready to serve, toss in the can of Italian tuna. Then the loosely packed arugula. Stir to blend and serve!