When you need to rustle up a fast meal that you can enjoy warm and is even better cold, this is the recipe you want. Yes, it’s a Portuguese classic. Yes, it’s economical. Yes, it’s versatile. But wait, there’s more… this recipe effortlessly combines bold and satisfying flavour and texture with a myriad of hidden health benefits. The combination of the black-eyed peas, which are really a bean, and the readily available preserved tuna is chock full of fibre, protein, anti-oxidants, and omega-3 fatty acids to name a few.
I know! These are not the sentences you expect in a recipe review. However, when you get excited about a recipe, sometimes it’s also great to know that it’s not just about gluttony. Speaking about overeating, this combination is actually satisfying and filling and you will be content for hours.
Make this as written, knowing that you very well may need a bit more olive oil and white wine vinegar. I used an extra tablespoon of each. Black-eyed peas, like many beans, are starchy and have different thirst quotients. It’s also a good idea to season these beans while they are still warm. I used 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt on the beans and 1/4 teaspoon in the dressing. Also, the quality of the tuna is important. It’s an economical dish. Splurge on the tuna and use your favourite extra-virgin olive oil.
I served my salad in Boston lettuce cups while still warm with slivers of garden hot peppers and cherry tomatoes. We had the leftovers the following day and I agree that the flavours were much more enhanced overtime. No additional dressing was needed on the leftovers but I still drizzled 1 teaspoon of olive oil to bring back the sheen on the black-eyed peas.
Delicious and nutritious!