I've missed my favorite tuna salad. Canned tuna was one of my trusted, inexpensive pantry staples until I read the Chicago Tribune's reports showing that canned tuna sometimes contains more mercury than the government had thought.

Cans of chunk light tuna typically contain skipjack tuna, a smaller species, and the Food and Drug Administration says skipjack's lower mercury levels are safe. But the Tribune's 2005 investigation caught the government and everyone else off guard when it found that chunk light tuna also contains yellowfin tuna as much as 15 percent of the time. (Tuna cans list "chunk light" with no species indicated.) Yellowfin tuna contains three times more mercury than skipjack – roughly the same level as albacore tuna, for which the FDA has issued a health warning.

But, mercury or not, I was craving a tuna-salad sandwich, so I decided to experiment. What if I took my favorite tuna salad recipe and substituted canned salmon? Like tuna, salmon is inexpensive, heart-healthy and apparently still safe.

After tweaking the recipe a little, I'm happy to report that today's Mock Tuna (Salmon) Salad, while milder in flavor, is a delicious alternative to tuna sandwiches and salads.

Write to Desperation Dinners, c/o United Media, 200 Madison Ave., New York, NY 10016.

Peel the eggs and place them into a 6-cup or larger mixing bowl. Use two knives to chop the eggs finely. Dice the celery, and add it to the bowl.

KATS BARRY/United Media

Like tuna salad, salmon salad works as either a lunch entree or a sandwich filler.

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Add the salmon and all of the remaining ingredients. (If you are not serving right away and are using the dried cherries, do not add them until ready to serve.) Stir until the salmon is flaked and the salad is well mixed. Serve at once, or refrigerate until ready to serve.

Makes about 3 cups (31/2 cups with cherries added)

Note: Foil pouches of salmon that don't require draining are widely available. The exact ounces may vary by brand, but a slight variation won't matter.

If you can't find seafood seasoning, substitute 1 teaspoon celery salt and 2 dashes hot pepper sauce.

Use a good-quality extra-virgin olive oil. (Even though 1 teaspoon isn't much, it's a real flavor booster.)

Cherry-flavored dried cranberries such as Craisins are a good substitute for dried cherries. Golden raisins also work.

PER ½ -CUP SERVING: Calories 121 (54% fat) Fat 6 g (2 g sat) Cholesterol 83 g Sodium 425 mg Fiber 1 g Carbohydrates 4 g Protein 8 g

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