Recipe Review from 5/28/12

A short week (because of Memorial Day Monday) leapt right into a busy but fun weekend.  On Saturday we joined about 45 other people for National Trail Day with the Superior Hiking Trail organization and hiked 9 miles of newly built trail just north of Duluth.  So very nice not to have to leave at 7am for a two hour drive and 4 hours of hiking!   After the usual organization speech, we shuttled to our start point and were on our way by 10:40am.  This is a woodsy walk with minimal to no views of Lake Superior.  I found it to be delightful with gently rolling topography that went though various timber management and plantations, by flooded beaver ponds and the Sucker River, and followed a oak and red maple ridge for a goodly portion.  We were off the trail by 2:45p, my Folks came along a half hour later, and dinner was at our favorite post-hike restaurant, the Rustic Inn (for the pie, people, for the pie...).

Sunday was spent in the garden.  After 4" of rain the previous week, we could finally work the beds again.  Doesn't look like we lost any seedlings from the deluge.  Weeding, tilling, replacing frames,  planting, and mowing the lawn made for a nice but work-intensive day. 

Just one new recipe from last week.  An easy one that made three suppers for us.  Always nice to have supper made and waiting during the summer!

Penne and Tuna Salad  (Ckng Lght Bulletin Board, orig source unknown)
This was super fast to assemble, made enough for three dinners, and the lemon flavors are a great change from the usual mayo-pasta salad.  A bit of seasoned salt really made all the flavors pop.

6 ounces penne pasta  (I used medium shells)
1lemon
1/4 cup packed fresh basil leaves or more, cut into thin strips
1/4 cup chopped (Italian) parsley
1 cup pitted kalamata olives, halved and drained
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved OR 8 slightly larger tomatoes, quartered2 (6-ounce) cans good quality albacore white tuna in water, well drained and flaked  (I used two 6 oz packets of the vacuum sealed tuna.  Just tastes better.)3 T olive oil (extra virgin olive oil if possible) -- divided use
freshly ground black pepper
kosher salt

Grate lemon rind so zest measures 1 tablespoon.
Squeeze half a lemon to yield 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice.
Boil penne according to package directions.

While pasta is cooking:
In a large bowl toss together zest, juice, basil, parsley, olives, tomatoes and tuna.
Add 2 tablespoons olive oil and lots of ground black pepper; mix well.

When pasta is done, drain very well and add to salad together with 1 tablespoon olive oil and a good pinch kosher salt (or a little less regular salt); mix well.

Serve salad right away or refrigerate and serve next day.