Equipment
Ingredients
Rice Base
- 200 g long-grain white rice
- 400 ml water
- 2 g fine sea salt
Tuna and Mix-ins
- 200 g canned tuna in olive oil, drained weight
- 150 g cherry tomatoes, halved
- 150 g english cucumber, diced
- 50 g red onion, finely diced
- 15 g fresh mint leaves, finely chopped
Lemon Vinaigrette
- 45 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 30 ml fresh lemon juice
- 5 g dijon mustard
- 5 g honey
- 1 garlic, minced
- 1 g black pepper, freshly cracked
- fine sea salt
Nutrition (per serving)
Method
Place the long-grain rice in a fine mesh strainer and rinse under cold running water until the water runs clear to remove excess surface starch.
In a medium saucepan, bring water and salt to a rolling boil at 100°C/212°F. Add the rinsed rice, reduce heat to low, cover with a tight-fitting lid, and simmer until water is fully absorbed.
Transfer the cooked rice to a baking sheet or tray, spreading it out into a thin layer to rapidly cool to room temperature. Meanwhile, use a fork to flake the drained tuna into bite-sized chunks.
In a small mixing bowl, aggressively whisk the extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, honey, minced garlic, salt, and black pepper until completely emulsified and slightly thickened.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooled rice, flaked tuna, halved cherry tomatoes, diced English cucumber, finely diced red onion, and chopped fresh mint.
Pour the vinaigrette over the salad ingredients and toss gently with a fork to coat everything evenly without mashing the rice or tuna. Serve immediately or chill.
Chef's Notes
- Canned tuna packed in olive oil provides vastly superior texture and flavor for salads compared to water-packed tuna. You can even use the oil from the tin in place of the extra virgin olive oil for the vinaigrette.
- Cooling the rice quickly on a flat tray halts the cooking process and prevents the grains from over-steaming and breaking down, which is critical for a distinct, fluffy salad texture.
- If preparing this for meal prep over several days, store the chopped mint and vinaigrette separately and toss them through just before eating to preserve their vibrancy.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store in an airtight container. Fresh mint may darken over time.
