Or maybe it's Cafe Feta Salad.
I guess I have a thing for hearty, comforting salads, because my current go-to take out meal is still the same one it was a year ago, and because the last time I ate the same meal with any frequency was 9 years ago in Israel, where I would go to a particular chain of cafes for its tuna salad. A massive gathering of romaine, tuna and veggies crowned with a layer of crumbled feta cheese would arrive, I would deem it too large to finish and then inevitably find myself frantically scrambling for every last crumble of salty cheese.
I recently found myself hankering for this particular salad, or maybe I was just hankering for the giant pile of feta, because beyond that, my memory was a little fuzzy on what should be included, except for a pile of crisp lettuce and a scoop of canned tuna. A cursory internet search of the cafe's menu showed me that but none of the salads on offer seemed anything like the one in my head, so I decided to rebuild from my patchy memory. I thought I remembered bell peppers, so I threw some of those in there, and tomatoes for a vaguely Greek vibe with the feta, and a boiled egg because why not more protein? I finished it off with a fan of avocado just because.
Regardless of whether this is truly a correct reimagining of that salad, it is a true interpretation of the size, I promise you. My finished assembly of lettuce buried under a mountain of toppings could easily serve two people for dinner, or four as a side. It’s a protein bomb with the tuna, egg, and cheese, but refreshing and crisp at the same time, with a zippy kick from a lemony dressing.
And so. much. feta.
Cafe Tuna Salad
Inspired by Aroma's Tuna Salad
Makes 1 giant salad, which serves 2 as a main dish and probably 4 as a side.
4 oz romaine hearts, chopped
juice 1/2 lemon
1/2 tsp dijon mustard
salt and pepper, to taste
2 tbs extra virgin olive oil
6 oz can tuna in water,drained
7-8 thin slices red bell pepper (about 1/3 of a pepper)
small handful cherry tomatoes
2 oz feta, crumbled
1 boiled egg
1/2 avocado
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the lemon juice, dijon, salt and pepper, and olive oil and whisk together. Add the romaine and toss to combine.
- Top the romaine with the remaining ingredients, and serve.