Tuna & Cannellini Bean Salad
July 01, 2008
Ah, summer! It’s time for easy meals that are a snap to put together and don’t require turning on the stove. This Tuna & Cannellini Bean Salad is one of our favorites. It takes about half an hour to put together, but only a few of those minutes require actually doing anything. Add some crusty bread, a glass of wine, good conversation – and you have yourself a fine summer meal. Enjoy!
Tuna & Cannellini Bean Salad
½ medium sweet onion
14 oz can of Cannellini beans, drained
Salt
small can of olive oil-packed tuna (use something good like Arroyabe Bonita Tuna from Spain)
1 – 2 Tablespoons nicoise olives, pitted
Extra virgin olive oil
Wine vinegar (use a delicious fruity one, like the Pinot Grigio Vinegar from Robert Bauer/Josef Reiterer)
Black pepper, freshly cracked
Salad greens (arugula is especially nice)
To prepare the onion: peel it and slice into very thin rings. Cover the rings with cold water in a small bowl. Squeeze the onion with your hand for a couple of seconds, then let go. Repeat this squeeze & release several times. The water will get cloudy – you’re milking out the onion juice that makes raw onion too sharp. Drain the water, squeeze the excess out of the onion, the cover again with cold water and repeat the whole process two more times. Then cover the onion with fresh, very cold water again and let sit for 15 to 20 minutes. Squeeze as much water as possible out of the onion – you might want to put them into a dish towel and wring out the excess.
Put the beans and onion into a bowl. Salt liberally and toss. Drain the tuna and add it to the beans in large flakes. Add the olives, and drizzle all with olive oil. Sprinkle with vinegar and black pepper. Gently toss the whole mixture several times, taste and correct your seasonings. Serve on a bed of greens. Yum!
July 7th Class: Condimenti!
June 30, 2008
Italians are famous for many things but especially for their food and sense of style. On Monday, July 7th, we'll learn how they combine these two talents in a class, Condimenti! or How to Dress Your Cheese in Style. Ilyse Rathet from Ritrovo Italian Regional Foods will be on hand to discuss pairing traditional Italian cheeses with classic condiments to bring out the best of both. Ilyse and her husband Ron Post spent six years in Italy, studying, traveling, and researching indigenous regional food and wine, and building relationships with talented, small-scale producers all over the country. In this class, Ilyse will discuss regional styles and techniques of combining flavors -- and naturally we'll be tasting our way through these pairings. Join us on the 7th to learn about the styles and techniques -- and then go forth to dress your cheese with style and confidence!
When: Monday, July 7th at 7:15pm
Where: Foster & Dobbs
Cost: $20 per person. Reservations are required and must be secured with a credit card. Call the shop 503.284.1157. Cancellations must be made 24 hours prior to the class for refund. Class size is limited and fills quickly. Participants will receive a 10% discount on purchases the evening of the class.
July 25th: DIY Cheesemakers Meeting
June 23, 2008
If you've been making a bit of cheese at home and would like to talk with other folks who are doing the same, join us on Wednesday, July 25th at 7pm for the next meeting of the Do It Yourself Cheesemakers. This loose-knit group meets here monthly to discuss making cheese, exchange ideas and resources, and share the enthusiasm and ideas. At this meeting, there will also be a demonstration of how to make chevre at home. Meetings are free (although it's nice to chip in a couple of bucks to help defray the cost of the demos) and no reservations are required. If you have questions, either call the shop (503.284.1157) or just come on in!