Mama Conway's Tuna Antipasto*

Since we're knee-deep in Lent, I thought I'd share a fasting-friendly Conway classic. Not Conway as in my family, but as in my Mom and Dad. My Mom has been making her tuna antipasto since before I knew what tuna was. Or antipasto.

You see, I have a hard time calling this dish antipasto. Sure, it's got olives, vegetables, and other elements of the antipasto course, but it's all mixed together. Really, it's more of an Italian tuna salad.

Still, it's my mom's recipe and I'll let her name it. Maybe we can compromise and add an asterisk. I'll just blame her for the confusion and disappointment I get from ordering at Italian restaurants.

My mother made this for us all the time, and not just during lent. My father was especially fond of it, most likely because my mom jams it full of olives. No wonder they've been married for 30 years. I recall that every time it was served my dad would hiss with delight and utter some kind of (clean) expletive in Spanish. He'd then eagerly load up a saltine with olives and tuna and down it in one bite.

Sadly, my lovely wife hates olives. Sad for her, because this means more antipasto* for me. (which is probably why we'll be married forever, too).

This dish has wonderfully acidic overtones from the pickles and ketchup, and the briny-ness of the olives sends the flavor rocket into orbit. There's a lot going on here!

A few notes on the ingredients. First, I used albacore tuna because I think it tastes, oh, a million times better than regular chunk light. Just be careful, because like all tasty things in life if you eat albacore too much it'll kill you. Nursing and pregnant mothers and children should use chunk light tuna. I've never tried it, but I suppose if you're a tuna hater you could use canned chicken instead.

Second, I used manzanilla olives, mostly because they're small and because they came in a handy 3 oz. container (too bad they don't come in a 5 oz. one). Finally, the mixed pickled vegetables can be found in the pickle section of your local supermarket. They usually have cauliflower, carrots, celery and onions in them.

The Tabasco sauce is optional, but adds a little kick to the antipasto*.

Anyway, this dish is a great light lunch or dinner. It's loaded full of flavor so a cup goes a long way. My mom always served it on saltine crackers, but I suppose you could do something else with it. I can't think of anything else, but that's just because it never lasts long enough for me to experiment.

Tuna Antipasto*

2 tablespoons Olive Oil
1/2 cup Onion, diced
1/2 cup Celery, diced
1/2 cup Green Pepper, diced
2 cans (6 oz. ea.) Canned Tuna, albacore preferred
1 jar (16 oz.) Mixed Pickled Vegetables, chopped into smaller chunks
1 small jar (3 oz.) Manzanilla Olives
1/2 cup Cucumber, peeled, seeded and diced
3/4 cup Ketchup
Tabasco Sauce, to taste
Salt and Pepper, to taste

Sweat the onions, celery and green pepper in the olive oil over medium heat until soft and translucent. Allow to cool.

Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Taste and adjust seasoning with hot sauce, salt and pepper. Refrigerate overnight, serve cold with saltines.

Makes 5 cups, 2 points per half cup or 5 points per cup.

P.S. - For someone who so famously hates ketchup, I've certainly been using a lot of it lately...