Tuna Salad

DEAR SOS: Fromin's Delicatessen in Encino serves a great tuna salad. Do you think they'll want to part with it? --JERRY DEAR JERRY: Fromin's corporate representatives even saved us the chore of reducing the quantity-size recipe to serve eight. FROMIN'S TUNA SALAD 4 (6 1/2-ounce) cans white meat albacore tuna, water-packed 3 stalks celery 2 slices egg bread 3 tablespoons sweet pickle relish 1 teaspoon white pepper 1 teaspoon garlic powder 1 cup mayonnaise, or to taste Drain tuna well.

On Sunday night's "Rachael vs. Guy: Celebrity Cook-Off," the remaining six contestants took over the Mel's Drive-In in West Hollywood for a good ol' diner showdown. There were flying burgers, roller skates and of course, Johnny Weir in sequins.  The challenge: Show your ability to adapt by re-creating diner classics (cheeseburger, tuna melt, club sandwich) and taking over service for 45 people at Mel's. Rachael's advice to her team? "I don't want you guys to gourmet this up. " Sorry to break it to you Rache, but I don't think you'll have to worry about that with this bunch.

Dear SOS: Luna Park serves the best Mediterranean tuna salad sandwich -- so good, in fact, that my boyfriend and I call the restaurant Luna Tuna. I was hoping you could winkle the recipe out of the chef for me. Susan Lee Los Angeles Dear Susan: You're right. The sandwich is exceptional. There's no mayo; instead, imported tuna is combined with sunny Mediterranean ingredients, then layered on grilled ciabatta with an arugula-fennel salad. Total time: 35 minutes Servings: 8 Note: Italian tuna is available at Italian delis and specialty food markets.

Frank DeCaro, the author of "The Dead Celebrity Cookbook," is contemplating a bite of Greer Garson's capirotada. Dressed in a red-and-white checked shirt and a red apron with one red and one black oven mitt by his side, the former "Daily Show" film critic and Sirius Radio talk show host looks somewhat befuddled. He pushes his thick, black-rimmed glasses up on his nose and chews slowly. The dish by the Oscar-winning star of the 1942 film "Mrs. Miniver" is a strangely archaic mix of white bread, Colby cheese, raisins and sugar-cinnamon syrup.

Total time: 15 minutes Servings: 4 Note: Recipe by Fred Seidman. Italian tuna can be found at Italian markets, Bristol Farms, Whole Foods, Gelson's and Surfas.

Yogurt "cheese"--yogurt thickened by draining off the whey--is the low-fat substitute for mayonnaise in this smoked tuna salad sandwich. Soft lavash, an American and Iranian flatbread usually sold three loaves to a package, is used as a wrap. This recipe makes enough tuna salad to fill one lavash, which is then cut into pieces to serve six. Serve the sandwiches with soup or salad. Or double the recipe and put them out on a platter during a party--they're easy to eat standing up.

It's two classic sandwiches in one--grilled cheese and tuna. Broadway Deli: This version mixes albacore tuna with celery, chives, tarragon, mayonnaise and chopped egg whites. It comes on wheat, rye or sourdough, grilled until the cheese--Swiss, Jack or cheddar--is running down the sides. You get French fries on the side. (Tuna melt, $9.25.) Broadway Deli, 1457 Third St. Promenade, Santa Monica (310) 451-0616. Victor's Restaurant: Here's a high-quality old-fashioned tuna melt: line-caught albacore, chopped eggs, mayonnaise, celery and onions.

When I think of January, I think tuna, celery, cucumbers, carrot sticks--anything light. One must-have of mine is tuna salad. I created this tuna salad with my light favorites, including lemon and orange zest. I like to serve it on red leaf lettuce with pink grapefruit sections, something else I love. Serve a half pita bread to go along with the tuna or spoon the lettuce and salad into the pita and eat it like a sandwich. I also like to spoon this salad on crackers for a quick snack.

Salad or sandwich? It used to be a choice for lunch or supper. But consider the three recipes that follow. Each can be served as a salad (on a lettuce-lined plate, garnished with sliced fresh vegetables or fruits) or as a sandwich (tucked into pita rounds, flour tortillas, baguettes or between toasted bread slices). These salads are also lower in fat than you might expect.

Hearty salads on summer days satisfy in more ways than one: They are filling and can serve as the centerpiece of a meal, and they don't require heating up the oven or stove. A blender is the only kitchen appliance required. One of my favorite salads from my days in Chicago was from the Wishbone, a Southern-style restaurant with an eclectic menu. Its tahineh dressing was the inspiration for this lemony dressing, perfect with canned tuna and sweet cherry tomatoes.

Total time: 15 minutes Servings: 4 Note: Recipe by Fred Seidman. Italian tuna can be found at Italian markets, Bristol Farms, Whole Foods, Gelson's and Surfas.

ORDER coffee at BLD, and a family-sized French press pot soon appears at the center of the table. Its stainless-steel sides prevent you from seeing inside, but your server will tell you precisely when to press the plunger. It pours out dark and strong, a brew made from organic coffee beans roasted at Allesandro Cafe in Valencia. No worries about flagging down the waiter to refill your cup. At BLD, you do it yourself, and somehow, you never get to the end of the pot.

Simon LA Chef Kerry Simon might look like a rock star, but the guy can cook. Take the lobster roll he does for lunch at his sleek new restaurant in the Sofitel. It begins with lots of chunks of sweet Maine lobster dressed in a house-made mayo accented with dill and tarragon. These are tucked into a warm La Brea Bakery hot dog bun. To accompany? Corn on the cob. * Lobster roll, $23. 8555 Beverly Blvd., L.A., (310) 358-3979.

Dear SOS: Luna Park serves the best Mediterranean tuna salad sandwich -- so good, in fact, that my boyfriend and I call the restaurant Luna Tuna. I was hoping you could winkle the recipe out of the chef for me. Susan Lee Los Angeles Dear Susan: You're right. The sandwich is exceptional. There's no mayo; instead, imported tuna is combined with sunny Mediterranean ingredients, then layered on grilled ciabatta with an arugula-fennel salad. Total time: 35 minutes Servings: 8 Note: Italian tuna is available at Italian delis and specialty food markets.

It's two classic sandwiches in one--grilled cheese and tuna. Broadway Deli: This version mixes albacore tuna with celery, chives, tarragon, mayonnaise and chopped egg whites. It comes on wheat, rye or sourdough, grilled until the cheese--Swiss, Jack or cheddar--is running down the sides. You get French fries on the side. (Tuna melt, $9.25.) Broadway Deli, 1457 Third St. Promenade, Santa Monica (310) 451-0616. Victor's Restaurant: Here's a high-quality old-fashioned tuna melt: line-caught albacore, chopped eggs, mayonnaise, celery and onions.

When I think of January, I think tuna, celery, cucumbers, carrot sticks--anything light. One must-have of mine is tuna salad. I created this tuna salad with my light favorites, including lemon and orange zest. I like to serve it on red leaf lettuce with pink grapefruit sections, something else I love. Serve a half pita bread to go along with the tuna or spoon the lettuce and salad into the pita and eat it like a sandwich. I also like to spoon this salad on crackers for a quick snack.

Water-packed tuna is an essential staple of the low-fat kitchen, a great thing to have on hand for last-minute meals. Often, I'll make tuna sandwiches for lunch or a light dinner. Instead of straight tuna salad--which typically requires a lot of mayonnaise--I add shredded carrot and frozen petite peas to the usual celery-onion-tuna mix. The peas add a great fresh taste to the salad. I use frozen peas because they thaw quickly without cooking, and they instantly chill down the sandwich mix.

The results were decidedly mixed when Chicken of the Sea International recently completed a market research project. A hefty percentage of consumers still remembered the company's "Ask Any Mermaid You Happen to See" jingle. But a surprising number didn't know how to whip up a simple tuna salad. So when Chicken of the Sea returns to TV screens in January after an eight-year absence, the company's ads will highlight its familiar mermaid and song.

Some years ago, Cafe Bizou shook up the Valley dining scene by serving intelligent French-California dishes at low prices. Since then, the Boulevard has seen a rash of accomplished, modestly priced places, including JoeJoe's, Paul's Cafe and Perroche. Meanwhile, Bizou itself has moved to larger quarters, where its menu has stagnated. I know--if it ain't broke, don't fix it. My problem is that Bizou's dishes are often less evolved than the competition's, though the place is still a bargain.

Water-packed tuna is an essential staple of the low-fat kitchen, a great thing to have on hand for last-minute meals. Often, I'll make tuna sandwiches for lunch or a light dinner. Instead of straight tuna salad--which typically requires a lot of mayonnaise--I add shredded carrot and frozen petite peas to the usual celery-onion-tuna mix. The peas add a great fresh taste to the salad. I use frozen peas because they thaw quickly without cooking, and they instantly chill down the sandwich mix.