Tostadas de Ensalada de Atún
(toh-STAH-dahs deh ehn-sah-LAH-dah deh ah-TOON)
Secretos de la Abuela – The Magic in the Pantry (Hacks & Foundations)
This isn't an hours-long braise. For a kid coming home from school in a Midwestern suburb at six o'clock on a Tuesday, the sharp, acidic tang of lime and pickled jalapeño hitting the air meant one thing: a ten-minute masterpiece was in the works. You drain a pop-top can of tuna. The secret is utilizing the briny, spiced vinegar from a cheap can of pickled jalapeños to instantly transform generic American mayonnaise into a bright, complex dressing. Leave the cumin and chili powder in the cabinet. True Mexican home cooking relies on fresh acidity, the sharp bite of raw onion, and the second the tostada shatters. Pile it thick on the shell, add a drop of hot sauce, and eat.
Before you start
Seed the tomatoes and cucumbers.
Scoop out and discard the watery seed cores of both the Roma tomatoes and cucumbers before dicing them to prevent pooling liquid at the bottom of the salad bowl.
Ingredients
- chunk light tuna in water15 oz
- Roma tomato1 med
- cucumber1/2 cup
- white onion1/2 cup
- celery1 med rib
- canned sweet corn kernels1/2 cup
- canned sweet peas1/3 cup
- fresh cilantro leaves1/4 cup
- pickled jalapeños2 med
- mayonnaise1/4 cup
- Mexican crema2 tbsp
- fresh lime juice2 tbsp
- pickled jalapeño brine2 tbsp
- yellow mustard1 tsp
- dried Mexican oregano1/4 tsp
- kosher salt1/2 tsp
- black pepper1/4 tsp
- store-bought corn tostadas1 package
- avocado1 large
- Mexican hot sauce1 tbsp
Method
- 01
Extract every drop of water from the canned tuna.
The quickest way to ruin this dish is soggy tuna. Open the cans and press the lids down aggressively over the sink until not a single drop of liquid remains, leaving the fish dry and flaky. Transfer to a large mixing bowl and break up any large chunks with a fork.
- 02
Whisk the magical aderezo.
In a smaller bowl, combine the mayonnaise, crema, lime juice, jalapeño brine, yellow mustard, crushed oregano, salt, and pepper. Whisk until it becomes a smooth, highly pourable dressing that hits the palate with a sharp, tangy, and slightly savory punch.
- 03
Fold the salad together.
To the large bowl of tuna, add the diced tomato, cucumber, onion, celery, corn, peas, cilantro, and diced pickled jalapeños. Pour the dressing over the top and use a rubber spatula to gently fold everything together until uniformly coated.
- 04
Let the salad rest in the refrigerator for at least fifteen minutes.
Do not skip this crucial rest. This window allows the bone-dry tuna to absorb the acidic dressing and gives the raw onions time to slightly mellow in the sharp lime juice.
- 05
Build the tostadas with a waterproof avocado barrier.
Smear a little mashed avocado directly onto a crisp tostada shell before piling on a generous mound of the chilled tuna salad. The fat in the avocado repels the moisture of the salad, ensuring the shell remains loudly crunchy down to the last bite. Top with a healthy zigzag of hot sauce.
Notes
Leave the spice rack alone.
Many Americans assume Mexican food requires a heavy hand with cumin or chili powder. Resist the urge. The complex, authentic flavor of this home-style salad comes entirely from the chemical interaction between the mayonnaise, fresh lime juice, and the aged vinegar of the pickled jalapeños.
Manage your moisture.
A weeping salad destroys a tostada instantly. Seeding the high-water-content cores from your tomatoes and cucumbers before dicing is just as critical as aggressively pressing the tuna dry.
From Cook Mexican in America.