Tomato & Tuna Ventresca Recipe

Prepare tomatoes

Core and roughly chop the ripe tomatoes into 1–1.5 cm pieces. If using cherry tomatoes, halve or quarter them. Place chopped tomatoes in a large mixing bowl and gently squeeze any excess juice into the bowl to preserve flavor.

Prepare other vegetables

Thinly slice the red onion and rinse briefly in cold water if you prefer a milder onion bite; drain well. Peel, seed (if desired) and dice the cucumber into similar-sized pieces as the tomatoes. Add the onion, cucumber, and halved Kalamata olives to the bowl with the tomatoes.

Add herbs and tuna

Tear the basil leaves and chop the parsley; add them to the bowl. Open the oil-packed tuna ventresca, drain the oil into a small container (reserve for dressing if desired), and gently flake the tuna with a fork into large flakes. Add the flaked tuna to the bowl, folding gently so you keep some chunky pieces intact.

In a small bowl or jar, combine the sherry vinegar, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, grated garlic, and optional pinch of sugar or honey. Whisk or shake to emulsify. Slowly stream in the extra-virgin olive oil while whisking (or add to jar and shake vigorously) until the dressing is glossy and slightly thickened. Season with fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper and taste: adjust acidity or salt to preference. If you reserved tuna oil, substitute 1 teaspoon of the olive oil with 1 teaspoon of tuna oil for extra depth.

Pour about two-thirds of the dressing over the salad ingredients and gently toss once or twice to coat, taking care not to break up the tuna too much. Reserve the remaining dressing to serve at the table.

Arrange salad on a large platter or divide among plates. Drizzle the reserved dressing and 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil over the top. Scatter any remaining whole or flaked pieces of tuna gently across the salad so they remain visible.

Season with flaky sea salt and a grind of fresh black pepper. Serve with toasted crusty bread or crostini on the side for scooping. Leftovers keep well covered in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours; refresh with a little extra olive oil and lemon juice before serving if needed.