Sunday, March 6, 2011

Linguine with Tuna, Walnuts, Lemons and Herbs

Yes, another recipe using lemons :)   

I love Italian food.  In fact my business partner (and very good friend) when I had my cafe and catering business is Italian so our food leaned heavily on simple, authentic Italian dishes.  Dishes that are easy, clean and made with fresh, high quality ingredients.  That's what this recipe is.  It takes basic pantry staples and turns them into a delicious, healthy and easy recipe.  This one comes together in no time and is a go-to dish for me, especially when wonderful hubby is out of town and I'm feeding just me :)  It's very easy to cut in half. 





Linguine with Tuna, Walnuts, Lemon and Herbs
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
1 pound linguine
1/3 cup olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced or passed through a garlic press
2  6-ounce cans high quality tuna, packed in oil
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest, (1 or 2 lemons, depending on size)
2 teaspoons lemon juice (I usually use the juice of 1 or 2 lemons)
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup mixed chopped fresh herbs such as parsley, chives and thyme (I used parsley and chives)

In a small frying pan, toast the walnuts over moderately low heat, stirring frequently, until golden brown, about 3 minutes, being careful not to burn them.

In a large  pot of boiling, salted water, cook linguine until al dente, about 12 minutes.  Reserve about a cup of the pasta cooking liquid.  You may (may) need to add a bit to the sauce to loosen it a little bit.  Drain pasta and set aside.

While pasta is cooking, heat olive oil over medium heat in a large skillet.  Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for one minute.  (Note:  When I made this dish, I ran out of garlic {can you believe that!} and only used one clove.  It's really best to use 4 as called for.) 


Stir in the tuna and its oil, breaking up the tuna with a fork.  Remove from heat.


Toss the linguine with the tuna mixture, the lemon zest, lemon juice, salt, pepper and 1/2 the fresh herbs.



Top with remaining herbs toasted walnuts and serve.  This dish is best eaten immediately.  


Buon Appetito!

11 comments:

  1. Yummm!! That looks really good! I've never thought about putting walnuts and tuna together but may have to give it a try! Plus, I love anything with lemons. :o)

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  2. Hi TS! This is a really yummy dish; it's a little on the rich side, but the tastes together are fabulous. I always add a little more lemon. Cuz I, too, love all things lemon :)

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  3. This blogging hobby of ours is dangerous! You end up with so many recipe ideas that you need to eat 5 meals a day!!!
    I'm not a fish fan, but even I have to admit that your recipe looks great - and it sounds so easy too.
    I loved seeing the packets of the seeds that you sowed. It's fascinating to see what people in other parts of the world can get. I have a range of seeds that YOU probably think unusual...

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  4. Diane, this dish looks just delicious and I just printed out the recipe. I definitely will give it a try since we love fish and pasta anyway. The recipe seems easy and I think I have all the ingredients handy. I better double check my stock of garlic. ;)

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  5. You're right, Mark, it is!! But I love hearing about the way people eat, because to me, it really is all about the food! :) And I would *love* to see the range of seeds you have. That's what is so wonderful about sharing garden blogs, one gets to see what others grow and eat on the other side of the world. I truly love it! So good to hear from you :)

    Hi Paula Jo! This recipe is delicious. It's a bit rich with the walnuts and the tuna, but it's so good that it is worth it! And yes, it's better with more garlic. But I have to be careful not to burn the garlic b/c that ruins the dish :(, which I've done once. Take good care :)

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  6. Yum! I ate a hearty lunch and dinner is far off, but your post has me drooling. My husband is a fabulous cook, so I think I'll share this idea with him. Thanks!

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  7. Hi Beth! This is an easy and, I think, delicious dish. It comes together very quickly and has *lots* of flavor. Let me know if you try it! I'd love to hear what you think. Thanks for stopping by!

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  8. Diane,
    just had to let you know, this recipe is just awesome good! I made it yesterday and it turned out just fine and yummy. Very flavorful and filling. LOL
    Once again thanks for sharing it.

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  9. Hi Paula Jo! Soooo glad you tried this dish! Yes, it is rich, but the favors are just yummy (in my humble opinion, of course :) Thank you so much for letting me know! And I'm really glad you liked it!

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  10. This looks delish... the toasted walnuts are a great touch. I will be trying it as soon as I get some good tuna.

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  11. Hi Donna! I love this dish and the walnuts add a little crunch at the end. And they also add richness to it so be judicious with the walnuts! Thank you for stopping by :)

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