Recipe - Lebanese-Style Tuna Salad With Tahini Dressing

FOR THE DRESSING
2 tablespoon Tahini (sesame seed paste;
available at natural foods
stores and some
supermarkets)
3 tablespoon Fresh lemon juice
1 lg Garlic clove; minced and
mashed to a paste with 1/2
teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon Cayenne; or to taste
1/3 cup Olive oil
4 cn (6 1/2oz) tuna packed in
oil, drained and flaked
2 pound Onions; cut or sliced up thin
1/3 cup Vegetable oil
1/3 cup Pine nuts
1 cup Chopped fresh flatleafed
parsley leaves plus parsley
sprigs for garnish
6 Pita loaves; quartered and
opened into pockets (up to
8)

Make the dressing: In a blender blend together the tahini, the lemon juice,
the garlic paste, and the cayenne, with the motor running add the oil in a
stream, blending until the dressing is emulsified, and season the dressing
with salt. Make the tuna salad: In a bowl toss the tuna lightly with half
the dressing and mound the mixture on a large platter. In a large heavy
skillet cook the onions in the oil over moderate heat, stirring
occasionally, for 50 minutes, or until they are golden brown, and season
them with salt and pepper. With a fork scatter the onions over the tuna. In
the skillet cook the pine nuts over moderately low heat, stirring, until
they are golden and scatter them over the onions. Drizzle the salad with
the remaining dressing and sprinkle it with the chopped parsley. Garnish
the salad with the parsley sprigs and serve it with the pita pockets.

Serves 8 to 10. Gourmet July 1990 Posted to KitMailbox Digest by
gigimfg@ix.netcom.com on Jul 19, 1997