Healthy Tuna Salad

Valentine's Day. Our first as a married couple. We stayed home (because we always stay home, and because we are married and nobody is performing for anyone). James made me Taiwanese braised pork belly with rice. I made him a steamed whole fish with ginger and scallion — Jisoo's technique, a dish I had never cooked before and had been practicing quietly for a month as a Valentine's surprise. The fish was, I humbly admit, excellent. James said, "You learned this for me?" I said, "For us. For the whole kitchen." He said, "Stephanie." He cried a little. We ate slowly. We opened a bottle of the wine from Jisoo's husband Jun-ho, which he had sent with Jisoo in September — a Korean rice wine he had been aging. It was earthy and sweet and unlike anything we had tasted.

Karen and David had their own Valentine's Day. David cooked a meal for the first time in his life as a Valentine's gift. Karen told me Tuesday that he had made chicken piccata. She said, "It was acceptable. He is getting better." David then got on the phone and said, "The piccata was fine." Karen laughed. I laughed.

Jisoo wrote on Monday: "My Valentine's Day: Jun-ho and I had tea and cake at home. We remembered your Valentine's Day. We thought about you. He said, 'Jisoo, the first Valentine's Day is a special one for Dahee and James.' I agreed." She sent a photo. She and Jun-ho holding hands at their table. I printed it.

Banchan Labs: Box Two shipping next week. Inventory is 600 boxes, all pre-sold. The waitlist is at 5,600 now. I am going to expand Box Three to 1,200 boxes. James approved the spreadsheet.

I am going to take a full week off in mid-March. The first week off I will have taken since the launch. James and I are going to drive up to Whistler for four days and then spend three days at home doing nothing. I need the rest. Dr. Yoon has approved.

Trying to conceive: James and I are beginning in March, after the Whistler trip. We had a long talk about it Sunday. I am ready. He is ready. We are ready.

The recipe this week is my steamed whole fish with ginger and scallion. Jisoo's technique. A whole cleaned sea bass (or red snapper, or rock cod) scored twice on each side. Stuffed with sliced ginger and scallion whites. Salted lightly. Steamed over boiling water for ten to twelve minutes, depending on size. When cooked, slide onto a platter. Top with a julienne of fresh ginger and scallion greens. Heat 3 tablespoons of neutral oil in a small pan until smoking, pour over the ginger and scallions — they will sizzle and release their fragrance. Drizzle with a spoonful of soy sauce and a few drops of sesame oil. Serve immediately with rice. A dish for the people you love. A dish for the Valentine's Days that are no longer performances. A dish for the year ahead.

The steamed whole fish was for James, for Valentine’s Day, for the kind of cooking that takes a month of quiet practice — and I would make it again in a heartbeat. But most weeks are not Valentine’s Day, and most lunches are not candlelit. With the Whistler trip coming, Banchan Labs Box Two shipping, and a full life being assembled in real time, I needed a seafood recipe I could reach for on a Tuesday without drama. This healthy tuna salad — bright with lemon, light on the mayo, the kind of thing that takes ten minutes and still feels like you fed yourself well — is that recipe. Consider it the other side of the coin: the fish dish for the ordinary days, which are, after all, the ones that add up to everything.

Prep Time: 10 min | Cook Time: 0 min | Total Time: 10 min | Servings: 4

Ingredients

2 cans (5 oz each) tuna in water, drained well
3 tablespoons plain Greek yogurt
1 tablespoon light mayonnaise
2 stalks celery, finely diced
1/4 small red onion, finely diced
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons fresh flat-leaf parsley or dill, chopped (optional)

Instructions

Drain the tuna. Open both cans and press firmly with the lid or use a fine-mesh strainer to remove as much liquid as possible. Transfer to a medium mixing bowl and flake apart with a fork.
Make the dressing. In a small bowl, whisk together the Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, and garlic powder until smooth and combined.
Combine. Pour the dressing over the flaked tuna. Add the diced celery and red onion. Stir gently until everything is evenly coated.
Season. Taste and adjust with salt and black pepper. Fold in fresh parsley or dill if using.
Serve. Serve immediately on whole grain toast, over a bed of leafy greens, in a wrap, or with crackers. Leftovers keep refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 2 days.

Nutrition (per serving)

Healthy Tuna Salad — The Everyday Seafood for the Life We’re Building