Tuna and Cannellini Bean Salad

If cooking dried beans from scratch, rinse and soak them until plump (about 8 hours or overnight). Once soaked, cook the beans in a medium-sized pot. Cover with about twice the amount of cold water to beans and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and gently simmer until the beans start to soften. Add the salt and continue to simmer until the beans are tender and fully-cooked through. Taste them periodically for doneness. Once done, drain and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process. Alternatively, if using canned beans, drain and rinse thoroughly.

To prepare your mise en place, drain the tuna to remove the excess oil. Wash and dry the lettuce. Halve or quarter the tomatoes and set aside.

In a medium bowl, break up the tuna into large, bite-sized pieces. Add the cannellini beans and toss with red wine vinegar, extra-virgin olive oil, salt and pepper to taste. Divide the lettuce among two plates followed by equal amounts of the tuna salad. Scatter the tomatoes on the plate and drizzle a tiny bit of extra-virgin olive oil over the lettuce and tomatoes. Season again with salt and pepper to taste, if needed. Serve immediately.