Friends Want Me To Bottle This...Savory Tuna Spread

Yield: about 1 ½ cups

This dip is so popular with my friends and students that I've been asked to manufacture it in bulk, bottle it and sell it to the public! As delicious as this is, however, it only takes a few minutes to prepare. I don't suggest using a blender in place of a food processor since the blender tends to give the dip an undesirable mousse-like texture. If a food processor is not available, use a chef's knife to mince together finely the tuna, scallions, anchovies and garlic before incorporating the remaining ingredients

Special Equipment:

• Food processor or chef's knife

Ingredients:
• 1 can (6 1/8 ounces) Italian light tuna, drained
• 2 heaping tablespoons Dijon mustard
• ½ cup mayonnaise
• 4 scallions (green onions), coarsely chopped (trimmed white parts and 1 ½ inches of the tender green)
• 2 teaspoons strained fresh lemon juice
• 4 or 5 firm anchovy fillets, drained and torn into pieces
• 2 large cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 teaspoon ground white pepper
• 2 tablespoons capers, drained and chopped
• Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Suggested Accompaniments :
• Assorted raw vegetables
• Garlic toast
• Warmed crackers
• Sliced un-toasted crusty Italian bread

1) To assemble the dip: Put all the ingredients, except capers, black peppers and accompaniments, into the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Process until well blended. Remove to a bowl and fold in chopped capers. Grind in some fresh black pepper. (Or finely mince together all of the solid ingredients with a chef's knife and stir in mustard, mayonnaise, lemon juice and pepper.) Refrigerate (well covered) until serving time.

2) To serve: Surround the spread with assorted raw vegetables or a pile of hot slices of freshly broiled garlic toasts or a basket of warmed crackers or spread on slices of crusty Italian bread.

Timing is Everything