Spicy Tuna Salad with Peperoncini, Tomatoes, and Parsley

Ingredients

• 2 cans tuna packed in olive oil
• 1 cup sliced peperoncini peppers
• 1/2 cup sliced green onion
• 2 cups cherry or grape tomatoes, cut in half
• 3/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• Salt and fresh-ground black pepper to taste
• 4 T extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 T fresh-squeezed lemon juice
• 1 T Peperoncini brine, from the jar
• 1/2 tsp. Green Tabasco Sauce, optional but good
• 1 tsp. Spike Seasoning

Directions

1. Pour off the oil from 2 cans of tuna in a colander set in the sink, then use a fork to separate the tuna into pieces.
2. In a small bowl, whisk the olive oil, lemon juice, peperoncini brine, Green Tabasco Sauce, and Spike Seasoning until you have a blended dressing.
3. Trim and slice the green onion finely until you have 1/2 cup.
4. If the parsley needs rinsing, wash it and dry it well in a salad spinner. Chop enough parsley to get about 3/4 cup, using a little less if you prefer a milder parsley flavor.
5. Measure 1 cup of the sliced peperoncini. If you are using whole peperoncini, remove the stems, drain them, take out the seeds, and slice them.
6. Halve enough cherry or grape tomatoes to make 2 cups.
7. Put the tomatoes, peperoncini, parsley, and green onions in a bowl. Add the dressing and stir until everything is well coated.
8. Add the tuna pieces to the bowl and fold them in carefully. Don’t stir too much, because you want the tuna to stay in pieces in the salad.
9. Taste, then add salt and fresh-ground black pepper as needed before serving.