Tuna and Bean Salad

Submitted by mersaydees

"This is a beautiful and healthful salad based on the one found in South Beach Diet Cookbook. I don't use fat-free or margarine products -- so substitute them back in for the real deal in Phase 1!"

 

• Ready In: 15mins
• Ingredients: 13
• Serves: 4

ingredients

• 2 bunches watercress, tough ends trimmed
• 1⁄4 cup water
• 1 garlic clove, thinly sliced
• 1 (12 ounce) can tuna, packed in water, drained and flaked
• 1⁄2 cup canned cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
• 1⁄4 sweet white onion, finely chopped
• 1⁄2 cup roasted red pepper, chopped
• 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons sour cream
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons capers, rinsed and drained
• salt
• ground black pepper

directions

1. Coarsely chop the watercress stems until you have 1/2 cup. Rinse and dry the remaining watercress sprigs and set aside.
2. In a small saucepan, combine the chopped stems, water, and garlic. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to low. Cover and simmer until the watercress stems are bright green, about 1 to 2 minutes. Drain and place in a large bowl. Add the tuna, beans, onion, and roasted pepper to the bowl and toss to blend.
3. In a blender or food processor, combine the mayonnaise, sour cream, vinegar, capers, and salt and black pepper to taste. Puree until smooth.
4. Serve the tuna mixture on the reserved watercress springs. Drizzle with the dressing.

Reviews

[Chef Dudo]

This was the first time I had watercress with a tuna salad. Very nice. Like an earlier reviewer I think I will skip the boiling part next time I make it. The sour cream made the salad a bit watery but when mixed again before serving it's OK. Liked the combination very much but will add some tabasco next time as it needed a little kick. Thanks for posting. Made for PAC Spring '08

 

[Engrossed]

WONDERFUL! I made this with fresh chopped watercress, a whole can of great northern beans, half the tuna and twice the onion. I used an immersion blender for the dressing which I added the garlic too and then then mixed the dressing with the other ingredients and enjoyed it atop shredded red cabbage. YUM! Made for the Beverage tag game.

 

[MamaJ]

This is a beautiful and tasty salad. I had never had watercress before and wasn't sure I would like a whole salad of it--it tasted very floral to me, but it blended wonderfully with the tuna, white beans and salad dressing. I will make this again and again, but next time I think I'll skip the boiling step and just mince the garlic and cress before adding it to the tuna mixture. Thanks for posting mersaydees!