The more plants we eat, the better, but that doesn’t mean that everyone has to become herbivores. An easy way to add in more plant foods is to blend them into dishes that we enjoy- simply by adding them in, rather than entirely replacing the foods we like to consume. A common plant based replacement for tuna is chickpeas, so instead of using several cans of tuna for these boats I just used one along with a can of chickpeas.
To make the chickpeas blend in seamlessly there are a couple of extra steps. Start by rinsing them really well in a colander under streaming cold water from the tap. Next, pour them onto a clean dish towel and pat them dry. Finally, pinch off and discard all their outer skins. Getting rid of the skins makes them much easier to mash up.
The filling for these boats can be as complicated or simple as desired. For this version I added in some already flavoured mayonnaise but at-home versions are easy to make with a dash or two of preferred herbs and spices. I also added in some peppers for pops of colour, some extra flavour and a big dose of vitamin C. Some cilantro (or parsley or basil if preferred) give it a natural, fresh taste and some fresh lime juice brightens it all up.
Endive leaves have a slightly bitter taste and sturdy structure, giving them a strong base for and flavour contrast to creamy stuffings. Usually they have green tips that fade towards a white core but sometimes purple tipped ones are available. During the spring, as leafy greens start to sprout from the earth, it is a good time for us to increasingly include them in our diet. The bitter varieties have nutrients that are particularly helpful for our bodies’ natural and ongoing detoxification, perfect for a little internal spring cleaning.
- Filling:
- 1 can chickpeas, thoroughly rinsed and dried (optional: pinch off the skins)
- 1 can tuna, drained
- ⅓ cup chipotle lime mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice (from ½ lime)
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped very finely
- 2 tablespoons cilantro, de-stemmed and chopped very finely
- 1 green onion stalk, chopped very finely
- 1 jalapeno (seeds discarded unless desired), minced
- ⅓ cup chipotle lime mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice (from ½ lime)
- Endive:
- 3-4 endive bunches
- Filling:
- Place the chickpeas in a medium bowl and use the back of a fork to mash them until they are fully broken down. Add in the tuna and continue using the fork to break it all up. Add in the other ingredients and stir to combine. This mixture can be placed in an airtight container and stored for up to two days before serving. At lease half a day to marinate makes the flavours come together well.
- Endive:
- Slice off the root of each bunch of endive then pull the leaves away gently. Rinse and pat dry then arrange around a large plate, outer sides of the leaves facing down so they create concave boats. If they wobble too much from side to side, the spine on the underside can be shaved down with a paring knife so that the leaf sits more evenly on the plate.
- Up to 8 hours before serving, use a large, narrow spoon to fill evenly each endive boat with the tuna mixture. Cover and keep in the fridge until serving.
