I have a lot of opinions about tuna mayo (please buckle up), the most notable of which is that mine does not contain any mayo and therefore I refer to it as tuna mayo-not-mayo. Whilst that name wins no points for originality or flair, I hope it helps to adjust expectations. This is not a typical tuna mayo, rather it is exactly how I like it.
The tuna
Although this has a low-ish ratio of tuna to “other bits and bobs”, that is not to say that the tuna itself isn’t important. Of course it is, it’s in the name. I always buy tuna packed in oil rather than brine or water, and if this wasn’t available to me on any given occasion, I would just pass entirely and make something else. Oil-packed tuna has infinitely better flavour and better texture (I’m no scientist but please believe me, or confirm via google if you must, there is ~ science ~ behind this statement). Yes, oil-packed tuna is more expensive but I would rather pay more and have it less frequently. Importantly, your tuna mayo-not-mayo is only as good as your tuna.
One more note: I prefer not to break down the tuna too much when mixing everything together. I don’t want the consistency to be akin to pâté, instead I want to retain discernible - but by no means large - bits of tuna.
The mayo-not-mayo
I don’t like mayo. Instead, I use a mixture of yoghurt and olive oil for binding and richness. This is decidedly not a “creamy” tuna situation. It’s bright, it’s light, it’s lemony.
The crunch
This comes from celery and if you don’t like celery, I don’t know what to say other than you might want to sit this one out because there is really no suitable substitute. I would encourage a fairly fine chop on the celery otherwise the eating experience will be too bitty (fortunately, in my opinion, it’s one of the easiest and most satisfying things to finely chop).
The acid
Less to bang on about here; quite simply, I use the juice and zest of a whole lemon. There is also some acidic tang from the yoghurt.
The herbs
Dill is *the* non-negotiable herb for tuna mayo-not-mayo. Other herbs are very welcome - chives especially - but not essential.
The pickle-y bits
As I have previously gushed about in this newsletter, I love cornichons and they are another crucial element in tuna mayo-not-mayo. Again, a fine chop is strongly encouraged for even distribution purposes and ease of eating.
There are not one, but two pickle-y bits and the second is capers. If you don’t like capers, you could leave them out and up the cornichon quantity instead but I strongly believe that the capers add an extra something-something that I would miss if they weren’t there.
The slightly unexpected, perhaps?
I always add a dollop of dijon mustard for a little kick, and also to help emulsify the mixture slightly. If this sounds odd to you, please rest assured this doesn’t overpower the mixture at all, you wouldn’t eat this and know it had mustard in but nevertheless the dijon has a purpose. If you particularly like spicy things, you could also add chilli flakes or a splash of hot sauce but the dijon mustard ticks this box more than sufficiently for me.
The accoutrements
I love to serve my tuna mayo-not-mayo with slices of toasted sourdough or baguette. Boiled new potatoes are also delicious.
For additional crunch, I like radishes, fennel, kohlrabi, chicory and/or mini cucumbers, depending on the season.
For leafiness, I would suggest watercress, baby gem or frisée (if you’re lucky enough to find it at the shops). Celery leaves are also hiiiiighly encouraged.
Tuna mayo-not-mayo
Serves 4
As far as I can tell, there doesn’t seem to be a standardised tin/jar size for oil-packed tuna so, depending on the drained weight of your specific tin/jar, nudge the amounts of other ingredients up or down accordingly.
Approximately 160g oil-packed tuna (this is the drained weight)
3 heaped tbsp yoghurt
3 tbsp olive oil
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
1 heaped tsp dijon mustard
2 large sticks of celery
Large bunch of dill
Bunch of chives, parsley or other soft herbs, optional
Large handful of cornichons
2 tbsp capers
Finely chop the celery, herbs and cornichons. Put all of the ingredients in a large bowl and mix well. Season with salt and loooots of black pepper. Taste and adjust, until you reach your platonic ideal of tuna mayo-not-mayo.
Serve with toast, something crunchy and something leafy.
Other bits & bobs
A recipe from exactly this time last year - harissa mussels with crushed olives
Yes please to a plate or two of this
For the love of mustard
The second cheapest bottle on the menu - value, mark-ups and more