Helen's Salad: Pesto Alla Genovese, Improved

One of my favorite sauces for past is pesto alla genovese. And, the nice thing is you can find high-quality pesto at your grocer. I have tasted several different versions and have settled on Barilla's. I do prefer the one I make at home, which has the added benefit of being organic, but my production of basil leaves only goes so far - and in this case "so far" is not far enough (due in part to this recipe), so I have to buy extra ready-made pesto sauce.

The fact that it is excellent, however, doesn't mean it cannot be further improved.

Welcome to Helen's salad: a tuna-salad based on pesto alla genovese.

(Note: In Greek, dips are usually called salads - e.g. taramosalata, melitzanosalata, tyrosalata etc)

It was named in honour of my daughter, Helen. We first made it around 15 years ago for a birthday party of hers and it has remained a family favourite.

It is ridiculously simple to make, as it consists of only 3 shop-bought ingredients:

• around 2 tbsp pesto alla genovese,
• 1-2 tbsp mayonaise sauce,

and

• 1 can tuna in oil or brine, around 100 gr drained (preferably smoked - alternatively, you can add some liquid smoke).

Open the can of tuna halfway, then turn it upside-down over the kitchen sink to discard the oil or brine. Put the fish chunks in a bowl and crumble them with a fork.

Add 2 tablespoons pesto alla genovese and 1-2 tablespoons mayonaise.

Mix the materials with a fork.

Voila! Your tuna salad is ready.

You can use it in a zillion different ways: As a dip, as a sauce for pasta, place it in a sandwich - the sky is the limit.

Although quantity-wise the main ingredient is the tuna, it is the pesto that gives the flavour.