The up side of summer storms is that they often cool things down and offer some relief to that relentless, sticky Southern heat, however temporary. The wake of that tropical storm that blew through Virginia this week, however, has brought nothing but more withering heat and smothering humidity.
There's just so much cooking one can do under those conditions, and what little I have been doing involves things that I don't have to stand over, or that are in and out of the pan in a hurry: that cold summer squash puree from last month, cold minestrone finished with a spoonful of pesto, my grandmother's salmon cakes, Mrs. Randolph's whole okra that's done in four minutes and best enjoyed at room temperature, quick pasta sauces like zucchini sautéed with garlic and oil, and, of course, those lovely, cooling composed salads like salmagundi and salade nicoise.
But most composed salads require at least some cooking and for beating this heat, the ones on my mind now are those that don't require any cooking at all.
A favorite of those that has refreshed my appetite and gotten me through more oppressively hot summer afternoons than I can count is a lovely Italian white bean salad. It's often (in my house, always) made into a one-dish meal with good quality olive-oil-packed tuna.
Tuna and White Bean Salad
Yes, this is better made with cannellini beans that you've cooked yourself, but that means planning ahead. It also means having a hot pan on the stove doing a longish simmer during a heat wave. I always have cans of several kinds of beans on hand in the pantry. Drained and rinsed of their packing liquid, they work just fine in this salad. When I'm caught without cannellini, great northern beans, while not the same, make a fine substitute.
Serves 1-2 depending on appetites
1 14-ounce can cannellini (white kidney beans) or great northern beans
1 medium shallot, diced small (about ¼ cup) or ¼ cup small-diced red onion
1 tablespoon nonpareil capers, drained
4-5 brine-cured black olives, pitted and sliced lengthwise if large, halved if small
Red wine vinegar
Extra virgin olive oil
Salt and whole black pepper in a mill
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh flat-leaf (Italian) parsley, plus more for garnish, chopped just before using
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh oregano, optional (don't use dried)
1 5-ounce can olive oil packed solid light or white albacore tuna
2-4 crisp Romaine lettuce leaves, optional
Several slices crusty bread such as baguette
1. Empty the beans into a wire mesh colander over the sink, then rinse them well under cold running water. Put them in a bowl with the shallot, capers, and olives. Sprinkle them lightly with vinegar, a pinch of salt, and a liberal grinding of pepper. Toss, then drizzle in enough oil to lightly coat them, toss until the beans are evenly coated, and let it stand for 30 minutes at room temperature.
2. Taste and adjust the vinegar, oil, salt, and pepper then add the parsley and oregano (if using) and toss gently. The salad is better if you can let it marinate for another hour or so, and it can be made up to a day ahead to this point. Cover and, if making it more than four hours before serving, refrigerate it until about half an hour before you plan to eat it, then let it sit until it's almost room temperature before finishing it.
3. When you're ready to eat the salad, drain the tuna and break it into large chunks. Add it to the beans, gently toss to mix, and add a light sprinkling of freshly chopped parsley. If you like, the plate can be lined with lettuce before spooning the salad onto it. Enjoy it with thick slices of crusty bread.