Save the Tuna! Raw Mock Tuna Salad

Mock Tuna Salad

There was a time that I used to eat tuna or moreover albacore salad almost daily. I was very picky about it too.  It had to be like my mom made it without many fillers and lightly held together with mayo. Key points were: not watery, a little onion, celery, salt and lemon pepper and just enough mayo to hold it together. Definitely nothing that would detract from the taste like egg or pickle relish (what is up with that?!)

Once after a friend came back from a deep sea fishing trip with fresh canned albacore, we had albacore for months and I was forever spoiled. It was white meat albacore from then on. 

After some really awful tuna salad experiences in restaurants, I even went so far as to start asking for samples before ordering tuna salad. It's amazing how few places serve good tuna salad. When we had a restaurant that was a key menu item- the best albacore tuna salad ever! and our patrons really appreciated it.

What I am really saying is I was a tuna fish salad snob! and proud of it.

When news came about the concerns with mercury link to fish and most notably tuna, I stopped this favorite almost overnight. I was very sad. 

Now there are also other reasons I don't eat fish often or even at all.  But there are times, I really miss my salad favorite. Today was one of them.

So I whipped up this mock tuna salad to satisfy that desire and it really fits the bill.  It doesn't taste exactly like tuna- really how could it? But it does taste really good and reminds me of my old favorite.



Save the Tuna! Mock Tuna Salad

Mock Tuna- raw vegan ingredients

Ingredients:

For Pate:

2 cups of hulled sunflower seeds that have been soaked for about 2 hours and strained

1 Tbsp Dulse granules

juice of half a lemon

1 clove of garlic, pressed

1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper or to taste

enough water to hold mix together
(about a couple tablespoons or to your liking)

Mock Tuna Salad- raw vegan

Place the seeds, dulse, garlic and lemon in the food processor and grind until crumbly or it no longer looks like seeds.

Add salt and pepper and start tasting.

Add in the water a tablespoon at a time until it holds together as you like it.

Diced celery and green onions

For the Salad:

Dice up:

2 stalks of celery

2 green onions

Mix in the pate until well combined.

Season with more salt and pepper if needed

For Serving:


I chose 2 big beefsteak tomatoes as they are in season.

I cut off the tops and scooped out the centers to make a nice sturdy cup (setting aside the insides to use in a dressing)

I then filled the centers with the "tuna" salad.

I whipped up a little green salad to accompany it.

Lunch is served! 

Save the Tuna- raw mock tuna salad

It really does look like tuna salad, doesn't it?

Note: This was a ton of food and very filling. One tomato this size definitely serves two!

This pate, for lack of another name is often called mock tuna, but could be mock chicken salad too if you omit the dulse flakes that give it that slight sea taste and add whatever ingredients remind you of chicken salad. Perhaps, chopped apples and walnuts? Almonds or walnuts can be substituted for all or some of the sunflower seeds too.

Refrigerated it should keep about 5 days. Like most salads like this, it tastes better the longer it has time to mix flavors.

It's quite versatile, tasty and very filling.