Ensalada de Atun {Tuna Salad}

I'm starting a new feature today.  I was looking at the calendar last week and noticed that Cuaresma (Lent) will be starting soon. February 17th to be exact.  During Cuaresma, Mexicans refrain from eating meat and poultry on Fridays.  The only "meat" allowed is seafood.

My kids aren't big seafood fans, so I alternate between seafood and vegetarian dishes.  This got me to thinking that this would be something great to do all year long.  Not only in my house, but on this blog.  So every other Friday, I will post a seafood recipe.  And I will post a vegetarian recipe the other Fridays.  Now, if only I could come up with a catchy name!  If you have any ideas, feel free to post them in the comments or head on over to my Facebook fan page.  I'd love to hear from you!   

Let's talk about Tuna. Canned tuna, wasn't always something I enjoyed.  My grandmother always prepared what she called Ensalada de Tuna (tuna salad) with mayonnaise, chopped onion and pickle.  And I kind of liked it.  Until I got food poisoning at the age of 13 from a bad old can of tuna.  I refused to eat tuna for 7 years.

That was until one of my brothers-in-law moved in with Hubby and me.  He liked to cook on his days off and was pretty good at it.  One day, he announced that he would be making Ensalada de Atun.  I had no idea what Atun was, but it sounded interesting.   When Hubby and I got home from work we were greeted with a large bowl of tuna salad.

I was confused.  Didn't he say he was making Ensalada de Atun?  I asked both Hubby and brother-in-law why they called it Atun, when it's Tuna.  They both looked at me and laughed.  They explained that the spanish word for tuna fish is Atun.  And that Tuna in spanish is a cactus fruit.  That last tidbit of information confused me even more.  But I finally understood.

This is Atun.

And this is a Tuna.

It was my brother-in-law's tuna salad that made me fall in love with tuna.  Or should I say Atun?

 Ensalada de Atun
(Tuna Salad)

Ingredients:

• 1/2 head of lettuce, shredded
• 2 medium tomatoes, chopped
• 3 or 4 tablespoons onion, chopped
• 1 small can corn kernels, drained
• 2 canned jalapeño peppers, chopped
• 2 tablespoons jalapeño vinagre (the liquid the jalapeños are packed in)
• 2 cans tuna fish, drained
• 1/2 to 3/4 cup mayonnaise (depending on how creamy you like your salad)

 

Directions:
In a medium serving bowl, combine the lettuce, tomato, onion, corn kernels, and jalapeño peppers.

Add the drained tuna, jalapeño vinagre and mayonnaise.  Season with salt and pepper.  Mix until all of the ingredients are well combined.

 

 

Serve with tostadas and/or crackers.  Enjoy!!!

With Love,