MEDITERRANEAN RISONI SALAD WITH TUNA & DRIED FIGS

By Andrea Fatouros

This salad is inspired by one of our loyal customers, Andrea's Pappou Savvas, who always manages to create something delicious with fresh produce from his garden & pantry staples.

Pappou’s pantry always has the good stuff - high quality olive oil from Greece, wild Greek oregano & tuna fillets. I was intrigued to learn that Alalunga Tuna sold at the Grecian Purveyor has the lowest mercury levels of all tunas. Meaning it is safe to be consumed by pregnant women and children. Using ingredients from my garden (just like Pappou) & the best Greek pantry staples from Grecian Purveyor I was able to create a salad that is perfect for the summer months.  

It gives Greek salad vibes, with a burst of flavour & spice from the tuna. Enjoy it as a side dish or an entire meal. We enjoyed it in Pappou’s garden and he did not shy away from seconds. 

Ingredients from the pantry

1 cup of risoni with cuttlefish ink (kritharaki) 

1 tsp of sea salt with oregano & sesame 

200 grams of white tuna in extra virgin olive oil and chillies

125 grams of the fig salami with Moroccan spices 

Messino pomegranate pearls (used in the dressing) 

Organic Greek wild oregano (used in the dressing) 

Kopos Extra Virgin Greek Olive Oil (used in the dressing)  

From the garden: 

200 grams of cherry tomatoes / cut in half 1 cucumber / diced 

Handful of fresh parsley / thinly chopped 

From the fridge:

150 grams of Greek feta cheese 

For the dressing: 

1/2 cup of Kopos Extra Virgin Greek Olive Oil  

Juice of half a lemon

1 tbsp of pomegranate pearls & 1 tbsp of pomegranate juice for the dressing.

1 tbsp of pomegranate pearls to garnish.

1/2 tsp of organic oregano 

1 tbsp white wine vinegar

 Salt & pepper   

Making the salad 

1. Add the risoni / orzo to boiling water & cook for 8-10 mins. Once cooked, drain water & allow risoni to cool down with cold water. Add risoni / orzo to a large salad bowl. 
2. Cut all fresh ingredients including tomatoes, cucumber & parsley. I left a few tomatoes & parsley on the side as a garnish. Add the remaining ingredients to the salad. 
3. Cut the fig into small pieces & add 1 tsp of the sesame & oregano salt to the salad. Cut up the tuna and add half into the salad. 
4. Make the dressing by mixing the olive oil, organic oregano, pomegranate pearls, white wine vinegar & lemon. Season with salt & cracked pepper. Drizzle evenly over the salad. Mix well and taste as you go, dress to preferred tasting (more salt, more lemon etc). 
5. Add remaining tuna, tomatoes, pomegranate pearls & parsley as garnish and serve.

Best enjoyed cold with a glass of Greek retsina wine or Assyrtiko white wine!