Tuna Rice Dill And Egg Salad

Mr P. and I don't eat much meat, so fish is a go-to in our kitchen.  I always have heaps of tinned tuna in the pantry, and various sorts of salmon in the fridge.  As it's now officially Autumn, (hear that, Tropical Cyclones?), I decided to make this in-between days salad from Belinda Jeffery's Utterly delicious simple food.  

This is protein-packed, (energy-boosting, says Belinda) and full of flavour.  Well, except for the dill.  We are not huge dill fans in this household, to be frank - or anyone else for that matter :=)  So I loaded up my slightly-less dillified version of this tasty salad with chives and parsley and dried oregano (I think).  

Speaking of herbs reminds me of the gorgeous basil plants we used to have in the back garden, which were adored by the native bees when in flower (they seem to like blue flowers, like their blue bottoms).  Nothing better than wafts of herby perfume coming in your windows.      

c. Louise Docker (Wikimedia Commons)

Serves 4-6:

Ingredients:

Lemon dressing:

125 mL (1/2 cup) of EV olive oil

2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

60 mL (1/4 cup) lemon juice, freshly squeezed

splash of balsamic vinegar

sea salt flakes, and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Salad:

440g./2 cups cooked rice  (Belinda says to use long grain, brown or white)

2 large stalks of celery, very thinly sliced

1 small, green capsicum (bell pepper), diced - small or large dice; you pick!

4 spring onions (scallions), thinly sliced - on the diagonal, if you wish

2 x 185g./6.5 oz tuna in oil, drained and flaked with a fork

a very large handful of dill, chopped   see Notes

12 kalamata olives, more or less as you see fit

3 eggs, hard-boiled and roughly chopped   see Notes

Sliced spring onions and extra dill, to serve

Lemon wedges, to serve  (don't tell, but we didn't bother)

A handful of white and black sesame seeds, scattered over the top

start dicing!

and chopping

Method:

Place the dressing ingredients into a jar, seal it, and give it a really, really good shaking - add more seasoning or lemon juice if you like

Grab a large bowl, and chuck in the rice, celery, capsicum, spring onion, tuna and herbs - and give it all a good mix

Now the dressing goes in, and you give that a jolly good stir

When you are going to eat this, add the olives and the chopped egg (keep aside a few olives and a bit of the egg for garnish, if you want)

Add some extra spring onion, herbs, chopped egg and lemon wedges to serve (optional)

And the optional sesame seeds, if using

thinly slice your spring onions

Notes:

Mr P. and I are not huge fans of dill, so I added chives and parsley too, and less of the dill :=)

Mr P. has started boiling eggs with boiling water first, rather than from cold: he boils the water on the stovetop, then lowers the eggs (carefully) into the water - 6 minutes for soft-boiled, 7-8 for hard(er) yolks

chop those eggs!

looking good

oh so fresh and delicious

and eat!