Not-Your-Standard Tuna Salad

Since summer is now in full swing, it’s time to wake up the standard picnic basket, starting with tuna. Now, I know there is quite a bit of controversy over this particular fish, but it’s something I like to have once or twice a month and I’m still alive. But maybe I already have mercury poisoning and I don’t know it (I live on the edge, obviously). We’ll just ignore that for the time being and chat about food. Okay? Good. I think standard tuna salad is kind of a boring menu item. It’s good, but pretty much always the same: mayo, dill, maybe some chopped onion or carrot. It’s never very interesting or all that flavorful. I am here to present you with what I believe to be a revitalized alternative to that grayish white salad behind the deli counter. Red cabbage adds a little bitterness and lots of crunch, apples add sweetness, grainy mustard replaces mayo in flavor twofold (maybe fivefold..it’s just so much prettier to look at!) A tip from me to you: always get tuna in olive oil. Tuna in water is boooooring. You’ll thank me later.

Tuna

1 can tuna in olive oil (or tuna fillets in olive oil and oregano if you feel like getting fancy)

1/2 red cabbage, shredded

1  tbsp. grainy mustard

1 tbsp. capers

1/3 yellow onion, diced

1/2 red pepper, diced

1/2 Gala apple, sliced thin

1/2 tsp. dried dill

1/2 tsp. dried parsley

Combine all ingredients and enjoy on crackers, a sandwich, or straight out of the bowl!